If Lovin' You is Wrong
by AkiraDawn
Summary: Am I wrong to try to hold to the best thing I ever had? If I can't see you when I want, I'll see you when I can. As long as I've got you by my side, I don't care what the people say. If lovin' you is wrong. I don't want to be right. Rated M.
1. Bad Romance

If Lovin' You is Wrong

_I Don't Wanna be Right_

I don't own Final Fantasy, it belongs to Square Enix

She fuckin' had it all. A 4.7 million gil penthouse that overlooked Midgar. A 4.2 carat diamond on her finger that was insured for a gargantuan amount of money, a closet full of high end designer clothes, and a career that was nothing but over-the-top successful. Oh, and one other thing…she was married to the formerly, most eligible bachelor in Midgar: Rufus M. Shinra. The wedding had been a little over one year ago and was the most media-covered event of the year. It had cost a whopping 589,000 gil but to Rufus, that was a drop in the bucket and it was the most beautiful, and talked about wedding since…pretty much ever. Their honeymoon was equally covered by the media as it was at a most lavish resort on an Eastern island near Mideel. Yes, she had…it all.

"It's been a year in a half." He said rolling over on one side. She took a deep breath.

"You're right. I think we uh….we need to get a plan." She said. He shook his head.

"This isn't going to be easy for either of us. What I mean is…there will be a lot of hoops to jump through. It may take a while." He put his arms around her. "Not that I care, I'm just saying…"

"Yeah. I know….but…god…we have to do this. I mean, we do. It's been a year and a half…we've gotten by with it for a year and a half. And….I'm….I'm not…." He cut her off.

"I know you're not. You weren't from day one and I know that." He said before kissing her.

"Neither were you." She reminded him, kissing him again.

"I love you. And when I say that…I mean I _really_, love you." He said before shifting his body on top of hers.

"I love you too. Hell, we wouldn't have been doing this for so long if…well, you know." She said pulling him tightly in to her.

"I know….believe me, I know." He reluctantly let her go. "I should go soon."

"Yeah…" she said rather disappointedly. "I think I'm just going to order dinner out tonight. I' too tired to cook." She kissed him again. He shook his head.

"I should get home too. It's…nearly 7:00." She got out of bed and quickly slipped on the nearby satin robe.

"Are you ready for the benefit?" she asked as she straightened his tie.

"Yeah my tux is ready to be picked up and well, _we'll_ be there." He said a little disappointedly. She smiled.

"Wanna see what I'm wearing before you go?" she already knew the answer.

"God, yes." He said without hesitation. She left him alone, went over to the walk-in closet and pulled a garment bag off the rack. Any other woman would have never thrown a 3,400 gil gown on the bench like that. But frankly, she didn't give a shit how much it cost. "Go ahead." She motioned as she flipped through suit after suit in the closet. Finally she picked one and slung it over the bench that ran down the center of the closet as she heard the zipper on her garment bag come undone.

"Oh my god…" he was a bit breathless. She rolled her eyes.

"Final fitting was yesterday. You know what I would love…one time…just...one fuckin' time…" she asked turning the light off in the closet and returning to the bedroom.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I wanna' leave this house…in a pair of jeans….or sweats….or….I don't know…even worse…flannel pants?" she couldn't conceal the tears in her eyes. He took her in his arms.

"You can do that with me, you know? As stunning as this is…" he pointed to her gown. "_this_…isn't what I want. I want…you…in your flannel pants on a Saturday morning." She wiped her tears though they were still falling.

"I know and I'm sorry, I'm sorry for doing this. You really should go now. It's getting even later and…nothing is more uncomfortable than a crying woman." She said.

"Hey…hey…it's okay. God, no one…no one should…make you cry like that. It's a stunning gown. It's…it's just gorgeous. I love you. See you tomorrow." He said before stealing one last kiss from her.

"Here, zip up…it's getting cold out there." She said picking up his jacket. "Bye. I love you too and yeah I'll see you tomorrow." She said, longing for him to stay with her longer. She saw him out as he gave her hand one last squeeze before she closed the beautiful solid wood door behind them. She leaned up against the back of it and sighed. She sniffed a few times before wiping her eyes again and walking toward the living room. She reached for the phone and dialed a number. "Hi, I'd like to place an order for delivery. 14349 East 37th Avenue. Shinra. Yes, yes…please ring the buzzer because you can't get to my penthouse without an elevator key." She said.

* * *

><p>It was 8:05 PM. "You're home." She said.<p>

"Yeah…it was a late night. I'm sorry." His voice was rather disinterested as he threw his keys on the nearby table.

"I made turtle soup and rice. I can warm it up. You want some?" she asked wiping her hands dry and walking over to him. His face was rather expressionless. He finally shook his head.

"No thanks, darling…I think, I'm just going to…take a long hot shower and…get to bed." He kissed her forehead and patted her shoulders before walking around her.

"Alright." She answered before picking up his jacket and his keys from the table. She followed him into their bedroom. "Um….listen…can I….can we….talk about something?" she asked rather nervously.

"Of course, what is it?" he tried to sound interested. She reluctantly sat down on the edge of the couch.

"Um…there's a an extra key here? What is this?" she asked fanning through several keys and stopping at a dull bronze, oddly shaped key. It wasn't like he had just gotten this key or anything.

"Oh that? It's um….it's….to the basement record room at work." He said taking his tie off, quickly followed by his shirt.

"Ah." She answered. "I've always wondered what kind of key it was. It's oddly shaped, doesn't look like a door key. "Take your shower, I'm going to finish cleaning up the kitchen." She said leaving him alone. God, she was so naïve. She would believe absolutely anything. Of course, what else was to be expected? She was a sweet girl. A sweet, twenty-five year old girl from Wutai. The way it was _supposed_ to be. She was marked by Leviathan and the only daughter of a rice-farming family. She wasn't even all that pretty, but according to his parents "she'd make a good wife." But what they _really_ worried about was the fact that their son was thirty-two and childless; therefore a twenty-five year old ripe, child-bearing wife was perfect. Of course, that was well over eighteen months ago…he was only one month from turning thirty-four. And speaking of which…

"I was thinking…would you like to go away for your birthday?" she asked. God, would she_ just_ go away so he could get in the shower!

"You know we have the benefit three days before my birthday. I'd say it's not a good idea to leave." He said rather dully.

"Yes…yes…about that…I'm quite nervous…about the benefit. I've never been to anything like that and….well, what if…what if I don't fit in?" she asked meekly. Of course she wouldn't fit in! She was anything but Shinra Electric Power Company Department of Urban Development Benefit material! He sighed.

"Mae, don't worry about it, okay? It's…it's fine. You just have to stay for an hour and you can leave. Now, please…I need to get a shower. I'm exhausted." He said rather irritated with her. He lied. He wasn't exhausted…well, okay...he _was..._but he just didn't want to be bothered.

* * *

><p>"Hello, darling." She smiled and kissed him. "I hope you don't mind that I ordered out for us tonight. It was just delivered before you came in." She said tying her white satin robe tighter.<p>

"That's fine. Though it would be nice if you would cook at least once this week. You're quite good at it and god only knows how much I truly love your cooking." He said unbuttoning his shirt as she pulled the small boxes from the larger bag. She opened up a drawer and pulled the fine silverware out, clanging it on the glass table.

"I'm sorry…I've been busy too." She said a bit dryly. "How about…linguini in white clam sauce, caprese salad and a blush wine Wednesday night.?" She knew it would work, it worked _every_ time. She truly was quite the cook. She could cook absolutely anything but lately….she was just too damn busy to cook. He smiled at her.

"That sounds exquisite, darling. You always know exactly what I love." He kissed her cheek. "I'm going to hang this shirt up. I'll be back in a moment." She grabbed a couple of big spoons and pushed the elaborate arrangement in the center of the table aside. She ran her hand over her neck and sniffed it. Thank god the latest issue of her magazine was nearby. She flipped through it quickly and ripped a perfume sample out, rubbing it over her neck quickly. She wadded the paper up quickly and threw it away.

"Your gown! Did you have the final fitting today?" he asked returning to the table.

"Yesterday." She said jamming the fork into one of the boxes.

"It's stunning, truly stunning. I'm glad you chose Charviet Lukwan…brilliant designer, he is." He said. She listened to him ramble a bit as her mind wandered. There were a total of twenty-seven formal gowns in the closet; nine of them were the proverbial 'LBD' or little black dress. The dress draped over the bench in the closet at the moment would make gown twenty-eight. But she could only think of one thing as she stared at the handsome dark blond across from her.

"Are you wearing a new perfume?" he asked her.

"Huh? Oh….uh…it's just a sample. I thought I'd try it out." He shook his head.

"Hmmm…I like it." He said. "Tell me, do you think I should wear black or white?"

"For what?" she asked rather disinterested in this conversation.

"The Benefit." He said.

"Oh….oh….uh….black. Yeah, uh…black, I guess." She answered.

"Very well, I'll wear the black DeLucha suit. I need to go out of town for four days on Thursday." He said changing the subject. She shot her eyes up to him.

"Oh?" she said.

"Yes, yes. But don't worry darling. It's only for a few days." He squeezed her hand. "Listen, would you mind packing for me?" he asked of her.

"Thursday? What time Thursday?" she said somewhat dodging the question.

"I have a 7:30 AM flight. I'll be back Tuesday by 8:00 PM." He said. She smiled pleasantly and squeezed his hand tighter.

"I would be delighted to pack for you, darling. Tomorrow night, after our fabulous dinner, it will be done." She said, smiling. Though she was smiling for an entirely different reason. Bingo.

"Thank you…you truly know how to make a man happy." He said squeezing her hand again.

* * *

><p>Later that night, she stood on the terrace despite the cold evening. "Hey…can you talk?" she asked pulling her robe tighter around her.<p>

He poked his head into the bathroom. Mae was in the shower at this point.

"Yeah…yeah, I can talk." He said.

"I'm going to be alone…starting Thursday. He's leaving town for four days." She said. There was a bit of silence on the other end of the phone. He couldn't hide his excitement.

"I'll tell Mae I have to leave on business." He said.

"Bring your things by Thursday morning before you go in to work and Thursday evening….you're gonna' come home with me and I'm gonna' make us a wonderful dinner and we'll spend the night curled up…in sweatpants….or you know, something much less. Whatever you want." She said shivering. He laughed at her.

"The only thing I would change about that is I want to help you make dinner. And yes…sweatpants…we're talkin' oversized ones. Deal?" That made her laugh.

"Yes….yes that is so….a deal. Okay, I'll let you go. I just wanted to tell you. I love you, good night."

"I love you too. I can't wait for that. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight." She hung up the phone and pulled the sliding glass door open, returning to the penthouse living room.

"I'm sorry…that was my mom. You know how much I hate talking to her anyway." She said throwing her phone down beside him. He looked up from the paper.

"You know…you're radiant…just radiant. But, do you realize how stunning you'd look in that brilliant gown if you were seven to ten pounds thinner?" he said. She stared at him from behind the couch, wanting nothing more than to slap him upside the head as hard as she could. One day, she knew she wouldn't be able to control herself and she would.

"Do you realize how stunning you'd be if you had a cock big enough worth fucking?" she hit him wear it hurt but she didn't give a shit because he hit her where it hurt. Turns out, that was more of a burn than hitting him up side the head. Of course, that was their relationship….for every three hours of peace there was at least one comment that was hurtful enough to be a catalyst for a fight that would destroy the rest of the night and possibly the week.

"Don't you ever….ever talk to me like that again!" he said angrily, throwing the paper down.

"Oh fuck you, what are you gonna' do about it? Don't you ever fuckin' tell me to lose seven to ten pounds again!" she said hatefully.

"Come on! I didn't mean it that way! It's a compliment. You're gorgeous…but you could me an absolute knockout if you'd just take a little better care of yourself!" He stood up and followed her into their bedroom.

"Don't fuckin' follow me in here! She leaned against the door frame of the bathroom.

"I'm sorry….I…I didn't mean it the way I said it." He tried to defend himself.

"Yeah…well, what I said? I DID mean that." She said crossing her arms in front of her. She knew that was the one thing that pissed him off more than anything else.

"You...take...that back, you bitch." he said angrily.

"Fuck you, Rufus...fuck you. I'm taking a bath now." She slammed the door in his face.

Indeed, Elena Shinra had it all. A millionaire husband whom she couldn't stand, a luxurious penthouse, a prosperous career, and a steamy eighteen month affair….with her boss: Tseng Yang…Rufus's right hand man.

* * *

><p>"Mae? Mae, can I talk to you?" Tseng called to her. She had a towel wrapped around her as she had stepped out of the shower.<p>

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" Mae asked squeezing her hair dry.

"I just got a phone call from work. I need to go out of town on business for a few days. Will you be okay here by yourself?" he asked turning down his side of the bed.

"Sure, sure I'll be fine. How long will you be gone?" she asked sitting in the bed beside him.

"Four days." He said turning the TV on. "I leave Thursday."

"There's um…there's something I wanted to talk to you about too. I wanted to earlier tonight but…" Tseng looked at her rather suspiciously as she climbed under the covers next to him armed with her hairbrush. He feared the worst because he saw it in her face all evening. Something was on her mind and she had been putting it off all evening. He watched Mae nervously chew her lip and tug on her fingers. "I've been thinking a lot lately…" of course Mae would think a lot…she was a _housewife_. Not that it was disrespectable, but Tseng and Mae were one of those couples that when seen in public people would say to themselves 'what the hell is a sexy and successful man like that doing with a woman like _that_?'

"Oh?" Tseng breathed in deeply, nervously.

"I uh….I'm…I'm ovulating. I…was thinking…maybe it's…it's time for us to…we should try to….have a baby?" Mae asked reluctantly. Tseng's heart nearly stopped. Mae thought WHAT! She wanted a WHAT! Tseng realized he was just staring at her as if he had been hit by a truck.

"Mae…" he started.

"We've been married for two years. I think it's time. Don't you? Wouldn't you…wouldn't you like to have a child that's…yours and mine? It would be _our_ baby, Tseng." The answer was no. The answer was a thousand times no.

"Mae…he reached for her hand. "I don't think now's the time." he had hoped that would pacify her…but it didn't.

"But Tseng…when _is_ going to be the time. I'm ready…to be a mother. Aren't you ready to be a father?" a somewhat desperate Mae told him. Again, the answer was a thousand times…no.

"I'm tired, Mae. I can't talk about this with you tonight." Tseng said a bit cooly. He rolled over, his back facing her and settled in to the pillows. He hated these pillows; they were entirely too firm, Mae had picked them out. The pillows on Elena's bed….were perfect. They were 100 percent duck and goose down and her pillows cases 500 thread count. All he could think about as he laid there with his back to his wife; was Elena. Her smell, her touch, her hair in his face, her hot breath, her sheer, nude, thigh high stockings. Mae's touch startled him.

"Good night." He couldn't help but notice that her voice sounded a bit hurt. He sighed and rolled over to face her.

"Mae, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to come out that way. What I said to you. It's just…I'm not ready to have a baby." He had to at least mend this for now as cold as he had been to her.

"Will you ever be?" Mae asked. He just looked at her.

"Good night, Mae." Was all he said.


	2. Clean Slate

It was an uneventful morning as Elena sat at her desk circling ads with a red pen. There was a knock on her door frame. "Hey, sorry to bother you." Reno said walking into her office.

"Oh it's no problem. I'm not busy." She said closing the thick book she had been circling ads in. Reno laughed.

"Why do you have a Kalm Real Estate Guide?" Reno said noticing the magazine-like book on her desk.

"This…oh…uh…Rufus…wants to buy some property there." She laughed with Reno.

"I swear that man's gonna own property on every freakin' continent. You gonna' go to the range with me? He asked.

"Yeah, but I can only train with you until around 11:30. Tseng and I are going to lunch at 12:00 and I don't want to go out a sweaty mess." Elena said.

"Yeah, not to mention you'll freeze. It's only thirty degrees today and the wind's howlin' out there. So what ya' wanna start with? Tseng and Rude are on the range." Reno asked clapping his hands together.

"Let's do some laps in the pool, what do you think?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, okay. Then will you spot me upstairs on the bags?" Reno asked her.

"Sure, I will. Elena stood up and slipped the Kalm Real Estate Guide into her purse before throwing her magnificent diamond into a little box and then throwing it into her purse as well.

"My god, should you be throwin' a rock that big around like it's a piece of gumball candy? What the fuck would Rufus say about that!" Reno asked. Elena rolled her eyes.

"Fuck what Rufus says. Because that damn thing doesn't fit me right, it slides on my finger and because it slides my shooting accuracy dropped to 94.9 percent last week." Elena explained as she followed Reno out of her office.

"Oooh 94.9! Watch out, hell's gonna freeze over next." Reno said sarcastically.

"Hey, I value my 96.8 accuracy. I graduated the academy with that accuracy and I've kept it for five years!" she said hitting his arm. Reno laughed again.

"And how does Rufus feel about you leaving a ring like that laying around?"

"He doesn't know I take it off." Elena answered him a bit seriously. "I plan to keep it that way."

"Oh." Reno said a bit uncomfortably as he and Elena got into the elevator.

* * *

><p>"That was a great session, boss." Rude said a bit out of breath.<p>

"Yeah, it was. It was." Tseng said before reaching for the nearby water bottle.

"Hey, what are you doing for lunch today?" Rude washed his hands off. They still felt sticky from all the rosin.

"I'm meeting Elena at noon." Tseng said pouring the rest of the water bottle out.

"You two talkin' about your new assignment or could you two come help me out on a lunch date stupid ass Reno set me up on earlier this week?"

"Are you accusing us of looking like a couple? And no, we're talking about the assignment. There's some details we need to iron out." Tseng asked a bit too defensively.

"No! No, no , no. God, no boss. Not at all. I mean, I'm not sayin' you two don't look good together 'cause you do…what I meant was that I just….could really use the company 'cause I'm nervous about this." Rude explained.

"Oh…" Tseng paused. "You uh…you think we…to use your words…look good together?" he narrowed his eyes at Rude.

"Yeah….it's something about…I don't know you two just…match. I think it's just seeing you two work together for so many years." Rude said. "But hey, you have a good lunch. I'll let you know how this thing goes. Not that you asked or anything but….okay I'm gonna' shut up now. Bye."

"Bye, Rude." Tseng laughed at him a little before heading for the shower.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, I'm running a little late." He told her.<p>

"Don't lie…you were drying your hair." Elena said laughing.

"Oh shut up." He teased her before wrapping his arms around her.

This affair didn't just magically pop up overnight. It began rather complicatedly. Tseng married Mae Xu two years prior on August, 17. She was handpicked by Tseng's mother Mailan Yang because she worried her son would never marry. It was tradition, Wutai men were married by the time they were twenty-eight and her son at the time was thirty-two. Tseng's father, Ling Yang was rather silent in the matter. As far as he was concerned, it wasn't a bed idea but it wasn't a good one either. And their wedding day was just a day…there was nothing special or beautiful about it…not even the bride. Tseng always figured he'd "just get used to being married". At least, that's what Mrs. Mailan Yang always told her boy. Mae had never been out of North Wutai until the day Tseng took her to Midgar. He was used to it and loved it. He had after all, lived in Midgar since he was fifteen. But the city was complete culture shock to Mae and she had a lot of trouble adjusting. She had only studied biology for one year at Wutai National College Northern Branch and when she came to the city with Tseng she never resumed her studies. From day one, she had always been more accepting of being a wife than he a husband. Elena hadn't gone to their wedding because it was a private family ceremony.

Elena Claire Franche married Rufus Maxwell Shinra a little over two years ago on June, 26. She and Rufus had dated for only one month. It wasn't that she liked him. he hadn't even been halfway decent boyfriend. His money, however, was hard not to , her parents had always like fit more than she. Elena's father, Shinra Military Academy Dean and Director Bernard Franche, thought his daughter and the President were the most perfect couple in the history of every couple. Elena's mother, Charlene Franche, was beside herself excited when Elena and Rufus revealed to her that they were engaged. The marriage was also pushed by former First Lady of Shinra, Eleanor Shinra, Rufus's mother. The thought of her boy marrying such a delicate woman was delightful to her. Elena's mother was no different. The thought of her daughter marrying a millionaire and a Midgar celebrity was beyond a dream come true.

When Rufus proposed to her, the last answer she wanted to give him was yes. But it's hard to say no to a man who's shoving a 4.2 karat diamond on your hand. When someone proposes…you typically say yes. The way Rufus saw it, with Elena, he would have his perfect, petite, and beautiful Shinra company bride that he could mold and shape into the most desirable of wives. She'd be thrown onto magazine covers and newspaper headlines as Rufus Shinra's trophy wife. The way Elena's parents saw it, it was security, a chance to live the high life, and the most powerful man in Midgar. It was perfect….for everyone except Elena. It only took two months in to her fairy tale marriage to realize that it was anything but that. Of course, she wasn't looking for a fuckin' fairy tale. She knew she should have trusted her gut and said no despite how much her parents adored Rufus. No one knew about the hell she had been living in…except Tseng. Tseng had been in the wedding and from the time he saw Elena walk down the aisle in a 37,000 gil designer gown….and he looked at his own wife sitting there in utter awe of this grandeur; he knew something wasn't quite right.

Tseng and Elena had been partners for years. They were the most highly valued Shinra Tactical team. They were brilliant together and missions booked up months and months in advance for them. And when you spend so much time together…you talk. Since they knew each other so well, it was easy for them to talk and since they were only married ones in their department; they had a lot to talk about. Rude and Reno, though good guys to talk to, couldn't relate or talk about the married life with Tseng the way Elena could. The more hours they spent on helicopters, behind conference tables, over paperwork, and during daily training talking about their marriages…the more their relationship started to change. Then, they started having lunch together…talking about their marriages. And finally, one night changed their relationship entirely.

Tseng had stayed late one night to finish up three separate projects with impending deadlines. The Shinra building was quiet but Tseng could have sworn he heard what sounded like the echo of someone crying in the stairwell. He had continued working until he was certain it was someone crying. The only smart thing to do was to take a loaded gun with him and investigate. What he had found was Elena sitting there in the stairwell bawling her eyes out because she and Rufus had finally had the biggest, ugliest fight of their marriage...and they were only four months in. It was also when Tseng realized all Rufus really wanted was a perfect porcelain doll for a wife because the fight was centered around all the plastic surgery Rufus had picked out for her. One minute Tseng was taking her back to his office and holding her in his arms because this had been the final straw; seeing her such a mess like this. Next, she was holding on to him and wanting him to never let her go, so happy that she could cry on his shoulder without being judged. And then, once her tears had started to dry….he kissed her. Right there in his office, he kissed her. Within seconds it had turned deeply passionate, their hungry hands all over each other. And then…there was the sex. So raw, so rough, so intensely hot, completely uninhibited and dirty. That night. Tseng looked at her in his post-orgasmic state and said "I think I'm in love with you." And that was it. That night changed it all. That was the start of everything.

They had to be careful. He couldn't hold her hand, he couldn't kiss her, he couldn't put an arm around her…nothing…at least while they were in public. Everyone in Midgar knew who Elena Shinra was. She and Rufus were photographed at every possible opportunity because they were "the perfect couple." This was their favorite restaurant. Mainly, because it was only a short walk from the Shinra building. They were always seated within ten minutes and always had their orders within twenty-five. Tseng and Elena always took a full hour for lunch. They didn't give a shit and it wasn't like Rufus was keeping tables on Elena. He was too busy for that.

"What are you going to have?" Tseng asked.

"Hmmm…I guess just a side salad with oil and vinegar. Rufus says he wants me to lose seven to ten pounds before the benefit." Elena said dryly as she studied the menu.

"You have got to be fuckin' kiddin' me. Elena, fuck Rufus…get whatever the hell you want." Tseng said.

"We had a fight about it last night...stupid bastard. So, I reminded him of his 'little' problem."

"Normally, I'd say ouch but he insulted your smokin' hot body so…here's to Rufus, his small dick, and you ordering _anything_ you want on this menu." Tseng said clanging his glass of water into hers. Elena laughed.

"Lobster mac and cheese and a side salad it is in that case."

"Hi, I'd like seven ounce sirloin, medium, baked potato and asparagus please." Tseng told the waiter.

"I'll have the lunch portion lobster mac and cheese and the side salad with oil and vinegar and could I get some saltines please? Thank you." The waiter took their menus and left.

"So, last night…" Tseng took a drink of water. "…I was lying in bed, you know…worn out from you wearing me out. I should add I was thinking about you a little too much, if you know what I mean. And out of nowhere Mae says that she thinks we should have a baby. Oh, and that she was ovulating." Elena nearly choked on her water.

"Oh my god! Oh my fuckin…she what! She thinks you should what!" Elena shouldn't have been laughing but the thought was absurd. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Elena regained her composure. "…it's just….oh my god. A baby? What did you say?"

"I…I panicked! I felt bad for treating her so coldly but I did! She asked when I was ever going to be ready for a baby and I just said…goodnight. Then I started thinking about you again." Tseng said. Elena shook her head.

"That's one thing that hasn't ever come up…Rufus hasn't ever mentioned a baby. So, how are you…I mean…what are you…" Elena threw her hands up.

"I don't know. Already, I only sleep with Mae when I absolutely have to and I'm usually drunk so I don't have to think about her and I…I fake it. I'd never be able to get it up sober with her." He took another drink of water.

"But, if she wants to be pregnant she's gonna' be…you know…wanting more of your cock in her…and I can't believe you fake it. Oh my god, what do you do? Go into the bathroom like an hour later an finish it off after she's asleep?" Elena asked.

"Yes….yes in fact, that's exactly what happens, baby. I keep a certain picture of you in the drawer beside the bed. Mae doesn't know about it." Elena laughed again.

"Oh my god, it sounds like a night with Rufus minus the baby shit."

"How many times a week do you sleep with him?" Tseng asked.

"Well, thank god he works nonstop because I can get by with one fake orgasm a week." Elena said.

"I can get by with twice a month with Mae, but like you already said, I fear she's gonna get more persistent until…until we get things more situated." Tseng said.

"I understand. Well, for now maybe she can just accept the fact that you don't want a baby and she'll lay of for a while. Thank you." Elena looked up to the waiter. The waiter requested for Tseng to cut his steak and check the temperature and preparation.

"It looks great, thank you." The waiter left them alone once again, "And you know, if Mae doesn't lay off I'll just keep faking it and finishing the night with you in the bathroom. She doesn't know what the real thing feels like."

"You've never….in her." Elena made her big, dart from side to side, eyes. Tseng shook his head.

"No. I only….in you." Tseng made Elena's big dart from side to side eyes.

"Wow. So, today I found a few properties in Kalm. I wanted to know what you think." Elena said reaching into her purse and pulling the Kalm Real Estate Guide out.

"Oh, really? Yeah, let me see them. Maybe we could…go see one of them while we're together later this week." Elena pushed the guide toward him and flipped it open to a page she had marked.

"That sounds like a great idea." Elena said.

"This house is beautiful, I love the landscaping. Oh god, it's over 500,000 gil though. But it's….it's so beautiful. I can only imagine how it must look in person."

"Tseng, I have a pre-nup." Elena said a bit out of nowhere.

"You…you do? That was really smart." Tseng looked at the other properties she had circled. "I like this one too. How did you know which ones to pick?"

"I know what you like, and I wanted to pick properties that weren't in downtown Kalm. Tseng, the pre-nup is worth 6.1 million." Elena confessed. Tseng looked at her with the most shocked of looks on his face. "Yes, that's what we agreed I would get should we divorce. Six million, and I can negotiate the rest. All I'm saying is…you know…we're gonna' be okay financially. That's going to be the least of our worries." Elena said.

"My god, how much is Rufus worth?" Tseng asked.

"He could piss six million. He makes that for every nine hours of mako production. Tseng, his empire is….almost in the billions." Elena confessed. "I'll show you the pre-nup when you stay with me. I'll also show you his bank account."

"Let's go see these properties, we'll look at the pre-nup and we'll look for a lawyer to help me draw up my divorce papers…god that's…the most unromantic two days in the world." Tseng said.

"Actually it's not." Elena smiled all over. "Listen to this…when we're in Kalm, we can be anybody we want to be. We can be…a _couple_. We can out to dinner and have lager in the tavern there. We can hold hands and walk along the Kalm riverfront. We have a clean slate there, Tseng. We have a _clean slate_ in Kalm." Elena paused and stared at Tseng, who was staring right back at her; caught up in her words. "We can be…the new Mr. and Mrs. Yang…in Kalm." Tseng put his hand on Elena's.

"Oh my god, Elena. Let's go to Kalm tomorrow and do all of those things and….oh god, I love you." Tseng squeezed her hand. That was always the way he got when he got caught up in the moment. It was also a testament as to how miserable he was in his own marriage. She smiled.

"So, Thursday we go home from work together, Friday we go Kalm, Saturday we work on our divorces." Elena said.

"Baby, I will drink to that." Tseng clanged his glass of water into hers again.


	3. Two Failed Marriages

"You have plenty of money, yes?" Tseng asked her. Mae nodded her head. "You can call the cell. I might not hear it or answer right away but I'll call you back."

"Okay." Mae answered him. He reluctantly kissed the top of her head.

"I'll see you in a few days." Tseng grabbed his rolling luggage and left his wife alone.

"Tseng?" Mae called to him as he opened the trunk of the car. Tseng looked up at her. "I love you." He stared at her a minute. He had to say it.

"Love you too." His words were swift and rather dull in nature. He climbed into the car and gave her one last wave before driving away. Mae grabbed the morning paper and walked back into the house. She was the most boring woman in the world. Even if Tseng _had_ been leaving on business; Mae wouldn't have done a thing while he was away. The only hobbies she had were cleaning the house, reading, and grocery shopping. Tseng, on the other hand, was a man of many interests aside from say; the Shinra Company and Elena. He enjoyed the theatre and strangely knew every performed opera in Midgar frontward and backward. He absolutely loved to gamble, was very skilled at both poker and black jack and could somehow turn twenty gil into 120 gil. He could cook and loved to try insanely complicated things, just to see if it worked. That was only a few of the things of which Tseng took interest.

As for Elena, she too loved the gambling scene but she was more of a 'hold a cocktail and watch'. She once watched Rufus win thousands one night then she got drunk enough to where fucking him was only slightly a chore. She loved to travel and took a great thrill in the unknown. She was also an on and off runner, participating in three marathons the previous year. Elena also had a talent for heating up a credit card and her beautiful clothes were evidence. Granted, her bills were paid every month so it didn't matter how hot her credit line became.

Twenty-seven minutes later, Tseng let himself in to Elena's Penthouse suite. Elena had already left for work. It was so quiet in this post-war penthouse. Everything was perfect. There was a beautiful vase of flowers on the table, the floors had been waxed and there was an off-white cashmere throw on the couch. There wasn't a thing out of place. Tseng couldn't help but notice the portrait of Rufus and Elena on their wedding day that hung in study. It wasn't _really_ a study. It was actually a room for Coco, the coal black Persian cat. That wedding portrait had been plastered all over Midgar and it was flawless. And speaking of the cat, she came out to great Tseng. Coco hated Rufus and Rufus hated Coco. He hated the cat hair and he hated the way Coco ran through the penthouse like a maniac after dark. But Coco liked Tseng because he gave her the solid white albacore that was always in the fridge. She sat there patiently and looked up at Tseng.

"What?" he asked her. She meowed and stood up, perking her big, fuzzy tail into the air. He knew what she wanted as she followed Tseng from the doorway of her room into the living room. He turned and looked at her again; hearing her meow. "Alright, but only because you hate Rufus." Tseng said to her sitting his rolling suitcase down and going into the kitchen. She followed him excitedly, meowing all the way. She always walked in circles around him excitedly when he dug in the refrigerator for her albacore. Then, she would follow him back to her bowl and watch him the entire time with those big copper eyes. It was so apparent that this wasn't Tseng's first time doing this. It was far too routine. He couldn't help but laugh at her. "You're going to make me late."

He left her alone, hearing her purr as she ate the tablespoon full of albacore in her bowl. Tseng rolled his suitcase into Elena's bedroom…remnants of Rufus everywhere. Tseng looked around; the bed was made. Rufus's cologne was on the dresser along with a tie. He picked it up and turned it over; examining the label on the back. His heart nearly stopped as he looked into the walk-in closet; noticing beautiful lingerie draped across the bench in the middle. He couldn't help but wonder….had she worn that the night before…or was that laid out for later? He rolled his suitcase into the closet. He looked at Elena's clothes…so, so many of them all chosen with impeccable taste. It was a far cry from what Elena wore to work Monday through Friday. Then, there were Rufus' clothes….such beautiful hand-tailored suits; not a one of them costing less than 2,500 gil. Even his 'casual' clothes were immaculate. Tseng couldn't help but notice that there were twelve tuxes hanging there and a supposed thirteenth tux judging by the clear garment bag and the label affixed to it reading: R. SHINRA – ALTERATIONS COMPLETE FOR BENEFIT. He noticed a locked digital safe toward the back of the closet, seemingly built in to the woodwork. God, he could only imagine what the hell was in that thing. Tseng knew he had to get moving. He left his suitcase in the closet and left the door open behind him. As he stepped into the bedroom again he caught sight of a small index card laying on the bed.

"The sooner you get here…the sooner we get done. I love you."

He had read the card to himself. It had been the greatest temptation he had had all morning. He smiled, left his suitcase in the walk-in closet and hurried out to work. It was 8:05 and Tseng was just pulling into the parking lot. He was grateful for his reserved spot next to Reno's and Elena's. No sooner tan he pulled in, his phone rang he reached into his trench coat and pulled it from his pocket. He was nervous when he looked at the caller ID: HOME. "Hello?" he answered it as if he didn't realize it was Mae. "I thought you had something picked out?" Tseng listened to her go on about something as he locked the car and headed for the Shinra building elevator. "Alright…alright listen, don't worry about it. I'll call my partner, you know? That I work with? And while I'm out of town, she will find you something. Trust me….she's good at that kind of thing. Okay, okay bye." Tseng always got so nervous when Mae called and he knew there was a lie involved. It was a relief that she didn't want anything pressing. And speaking of lying to your spouse, Tseng stepped off onto the Department of Administrative Research floor only to see the door of Elena's office closed. He could tell by the way she was pacing her office and the way she was throwing her hand into the air that she was fighting with whomever it was on the other end. He was certain he knew who she was fighting with. Tseng didn't let on for now that he saw her. Instead he went to to his own office to listen to his voice mail messages. It never failed that he always had messages waiting on him each morning. He couldn't help but watch Elena through the window in his office as he listened. Things looked so heated that it _had_ to be Rufus on the other end. And then he saw her launch her phone across her office. He continued listening to his messages and waited for Elena to cool down. He knew she'd be by his office sooner than later. Tseng kept jotting notes as his messages neared their completion. There was a knock at his door. It was her. That was less time than he had thought. Elena sighed.

"Morning."

"If it makes you feel any better, I fed Coco some albacore this morning." Tseng said. That indeed, made Elena smiled.

"Oooh Coco….listen, I need to get a new phone after work today. I just broke mine because I was fighting with Rufus. Surprise, surprise. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course it is. What was this fight over?"

"He wanted me to fly up north to be with him for these four days! And by 'be with him' he means fly up north, be his whore by night and be bored out of my mind all day. It turned in to a screaming match about how important my job really is. I wanted to scream at him that my job was very important because I was blowing my boss behind his back." Elena rolled her eyes and plopped down in the nearby chair. "Shit, it's only 8:30 and I already need a cocktail." She said letting her head hit the wall behind her. Tseng laughed at her.

"I'm sorry. It's not funny at all. You know I wouldn't judge you at all if you made this coffee a little more on the Irish side. I have a favor to ask you. After we get you a phone today would you…would you help me….no, who am I kidding….will pick something out for Mae to wear to the damn benefit?" Tseng asked her slouching back in his chair. "She's…she's…..oooooh god I don't even wanna' get in to it."

"Does she have a hair stylist?" Elena asked seemingly a bit off topic. Tseng laughed.

"Elena…it's Mae."

"Hold on a second…" Elena left his office and hurried over to hers to get her purse. She darted her eyes around just to observe her surroundings as she returned to Tseng's office again, closing the door. "Yes, I'd love to find Mae something today that she can actually wear and feel comfortable in. Here's the name and number of my hair stylist. She's impossible to get in to but I'll call this morning and make it happen to have her and makeup done. I promise you won't be uncomfortable in taking her to this benefit by the time I'm done with her." Elena said writing the name on a post-it.

"Wait, what about you? If she's so hard to get in to don't you want that appointment?" Tseng asked.

"She only does my hair and I don't need her right now. I always do my own makeup."

"You do know that Mae didn't even have a stich of makeup on for our own wedding?" Tseng asked knowing this would freak Mae the hell out for sure.

"Tell her this….now, granted….she's gonna' wanna' make a baby with you after you say this but…it will serve as a good line anyway. You call her this afternoon and you say Mae I was just thinking about you, darling. I wanted you to have a day to yourself because of all the work you do around the house. I made you an appointment to have your hair and makeup done for the benefit because you're worth it darling and I love you. That's what you say." Tseng laughed at her again.

"You….are so full of crap."

"Hey…you'll be thankin' me for that later. I know every line in the book…Oh, it's a beautiful necklace, darling! I love it so much! You're so much of a man, my love. I'm luckiest woman in the world. Oh god, Rufus I'm gonna' come!" It made Tseng laugh even more.

"Good god, did you write the big book of one-liner lies!"

"I'm workin' on it." Elena said teasingly. Both Tseng and Elena couldn't wait for that clock to read 4:00.

By 5:00 that day, Elena had a new phone. Now, it was time for a much more pressing project. "You're still wearing that ivory tux right? The ivory with the like…bronze colored tie?" Elena asked deep in thought.

"Yeah, that's the one." He answered her following her around like a puppy.

"What size is Mae?" Elena flipped through a rack at lightning speed.

"Uuuhhh….10. Yeah, 10." Tseng answered her. Elena walked down half the rack and stopped. She started flipping again, faster this time.

"Exactly, how much do you love shopping?" he asked watching her do this as if she'd done it a hundred times before.

"This is serious business, baby. I won't have your wife going to this thing looking like a prom bomb." Elena said.

"Elena…come on' it's you versus her. Do you honestly think you can find her something that will…oh…well, that's nice. Simple, elegant…you're good at this." Tseng said.

"Hold this please. Black is a safe color. We both know she can't pull off red…but….ah…." she didn't exactly finish her sentence.

"My god, you can shop." He observed.

"Yeah, don't think for a minute my shopping habit will die." Elena said. He laughed at her.

"Okay. This black one…or this one?" Elena held up two different gowns.

"How are they different? They're both black?"

"You…are such a man. This is the one. It has sleeves, she'll feel safe in it." Elena said. Indeed Elena had done a good job. It would suit Mae quite well. It was conservative and 'safe' to wear. Elena's gown, however, was a showstopping head-turner. "Alright, what size shoes does she wear?"

"You should know that she can't handle a heel. The woman has never worn heels in her life. She's a nine." Elena gasped.

"Oooh Tseng…that poor, poor girl. Don't worry, I'll find her something." Elena assured him as she draped the black dress over his arm.

"I won't be long." She assured him.

"Clearly, you won't. We've been in here for twenty-three minutes and you've completely made over my wife."

"About how tall is she?" Elena asked.

"Around 5' 2". You know that I know all that stuff about you too, right?" he asked her a little worried. He worried because he was aware that Rufus knew nothing like that of Elena even though he _lived_ with her. She looked up at him and smiled.

"I know you do. By the way, you're birthday's coming up. Three days after the benefit in fact. What do you want? Did you have anything special in mind?"

"Elena, I think you know exactly what I want." He followed Elena toward the sales associate now that she had picked out everything Mae needed for this benefit.

"Hi, we're going to need about six inches cut off this gown. It can be picked up as soon as Saturday." Elena told the sales girl before she left the counter to make an alterations tag for the gown.

"Well, I have a plan for that…but I hope you don't mind getting it three days before your birthday." Elena said spinning around. "I need your credit card, I can't use mine because it creates a trail."

"First, is 'I need your credit card' that a phrase I need to get used to? Second, if you're giving me what I think you're giving me for my birthday I could care less that I'm getting it three days early. And third, what is your plan?"

"First, no. Second, good. Third, I'll tell you later when we're cooking and talking divorce." Elena said taking his card from him.

"That…is the oddest sentence I've ever heard." Tseng said.

"Are you Mr. Yang?" the associate asked.

"Yes." He answered her.

"Sign here, sir. You can pick it up tomorrow after 3:00. You have a nice evening." The associate said.

"And there we have it. Mae will look lovely. Come on. Let's head home and we'll start dinner."

"Ta dah!" Elena couldn't help but laugh as she debuted her sloppy oversized sweatshirt and soft flannel pants. Rufus would have died had he seen what she was wearing. It wasn't that Tseng had never seen her like this before; but the sight of her in her own skin was endearing.

"I'm thrilled you dressed up for the occasion. The noodles are done." Tseng said turning the burner off and draining the noodles. Elena was still shaking her hair dry from her shower.

"In that case, I should get the bread ready and…you should start looking over this." Elena flopped her pre-nup onto the counter.

"Is this the pre-nup I guess?" He asked.

"It is." Elena picked up a handful of basil sprigs and washed them off in the sink as Tseng sat down at the table to read through the pre-nup. She would handle the next part. She pulled out a cutting board and a knife and began chopping away. "Do you want cheese on the garlic bread?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah sure, why not." Tseng said reading over the first page. "Who decided you were worth 6.1 million gil in this marriage?"

"It was negotiated. Rufus wanted it to be 2.1 million plus shared custody of any children we may have and a million a month in child support. Actually, his lawyer wrote in that part. Children were never part of our plan and so I negotiated for a little over six million flat no questions asked. I didn't want any partial ownership in the penthouse or any of the vacation properties that we own. We both signed that pre-nup and it can't be revoked without months and months worth of waiting and it would be unbelievably expensive." Elena explained as she threw the basil into the noodles before her and split the loaf of French bread. She pulled the cheese grater out from underneath the sink.

"It says here that in the event of separation the wife elect, Mrs. Elena Shinra, relinquishes all rights to the Shinra Electric Power Company publicity gross earnings. What does that mean?"

"For every interview, photo shoot, magazine spread…anything press related that either I or Rufus or both of us agree to; we are paid for…quite handsomely might I add. In the even of divorce I will make nothing off any media coverage involving me or Rufus." Elena explained.

"Really? Is that bothersome to you?" Tseng asked.

"No. I could care less about that money. The truth is Tseng, I could care less about any of this money. I don't need 5,500 gil gowns and 425 gil shoes and…this damn penthouse." There was silence for a moment as Elena grated the cheese, making quite a mound of it on the plate before her.

"But what if you miss it? The money, I mean. You know, when you and I are finally together? It's hard not to like that kind of money. I make 200,000 a year Elena. Life's going to be a lot different for you." Tseng turned the page of the pre-nup. Elena put the grater down and wiped her hands on the nearby towel.

"Look at me…look me in the eye. I don't give a shit…about Rufus' money." She looked down and put her hand on Tseng's. "You and I will never have to worry about money. You make 200,000, I make 175,000. I'll get a 6.1 million settlement and I've sheltered 785,000 of _my_ investments at the Community Savings Bank in Kalm. I've done that in less than two years. I'd give every damn bit of it away if it meant not having you. I mean that." Elena's eyes were intently serious. Tseng could tell she indeed meant every word. He kissed her before reading any further.

"Sounds like life is going to be different for me." Tseng laughed at her.

"Oh shut up." Elena said standing up to return to her garlic bread.

"Actually, what I mean is that…I'll be married to a very career-driven and definitely not soft-spoken woman. Right now, I have a housewife, Elena. Do you realize that? A _housewife.__"_

"You gave that woman everything, Tseng." Elena commented putting the bread in the oven and trading off dinner with him.

"Actually, I didn't. It's quite cruel when you think about it. I ripped her out of Wutai. All Mae ever knew in her whole twenty-five years was the north Wutai rice paddies. She was born and raised on a rural paddy farm and she had never…._ever_ been out of north Wutai. The biggest thing in north Wutai is a university branch and it's only a two-story building. I took that sweet, sweet, country girl out of the north and brought her to Midgar. It was cruel, Elena. It was so cruel." Tseng shook his head as he tore romaine lettuce.

"But you never wanted that." Elena said.

"You're right. My mother picked out this innocent, nice, country girl. Threw her to her successful son…and he ripped her out of Wutai. For the first six months of our marriage she was terrified…_terrified_ of Midgar. The noise, the lights, the traffic, the buildings stacked on top of each other…everything. She hated it here. I think she still does. She didn't leave our house for two months she was so scared something would happen to her. I'm the stupid one…for putting Mae through that _and_ a false marriage." Tseng said throwing a couple handfuls of croutons into his green creation. Elena shook her head.

"No. You weren't stupid, Tseng. I was the stupid one…you were forced into what you got. I had a choice…and I said yes. I didn't trust my gut because I so worried about what my family and Rufus' family would think if I said no."

"You know what pisses me off the most…okay…you're right. I was forced into it. But what pisses me the hell off is that my dad just stood back and let my mom take the reigns. I told me dad…I don't think I'm ready for this. And his comment to me was son, no one ever is. It'll be okay. And I have always idolized my dad so much….that I didn't second guess him. I just said. Yeah, you're right, thanks." Tseng reminisced.

"Why does Wutai still condone arranged marriages?" Elena asked.

"It's a Wutai tradition that will never be broken. It's fine if you meet someone and fall in love like anywhere else. But, Wuatiians are firm in their belief that a woman shall be married by the time she is twenty-five and a man by the time he's twenty-eight. You can imagine how wound up my mother was when twenty-eight came and went for me." Elena watched him dress the greens in oil and vinegar. She stood up to get their plates out of the china cabinet above the sink.

"You've marriage has been a hell of a lot harder than mine Tseng." She said wrapping her arms around him and resting her head in a sea of black hair. His sweater was soft. She let her hands rub over him. She knew exactly how to touch him to drive him completely insane.

"I thought you were getting the plates." He asked not fighting her touch the least. Elena sighed.

"I was. I got distracted." She pulled her hands away from him, knowing that too…would drive him completely insane.

"Oh god, no….no….come back and put your hands on me." Tseng begged of her as he finished off the salad and took it over to the table.

"I'm much too busy with these plates and I've gotta' pull this bread out." Elena insisted sarcastically. "You know what we need?"

"A good fuck. I don't mean, like we normally do. We're talkin'….the I'm spending the night with you for the first time since we began this affair kind of fuck." Tseng said before she could go any farther. Elena laughed.

"I was going to say this hot chocolate but I like your idea better. We'll have hot chocolate tomorrow after we get in from Kalm." Elena said. They indeed had a big day ahead of them tomorrow. Tseng wondered a little if Rude of Reno would question why he and Elena weren't at work. Knowing those two, they likely wouldn't question it too much. Elena sat the bread, a knife and the fine china on the table while Tseng got the pasta, giving it another stir before jamming the big fork into it. "I have peach iced tea, ginger ale, and cherry Kool-Aid. Don't you ever tell a soul that Rufus has a thing for cherry Kool-Aid. We always have it. My guilty pleasure is reading Cosmo in the whirlpool bath with my scented candles and an entire box of those fancy little chocolates. Rufus' is cherry Kool-Aid and Cap'n Crunch. He'd just die if anyone knew." Elena laughed.

"You do not read Cosmo in your bathtub." Tseng laughed at her.

"Oh but I do! And don't think I'll stop either." Elena insisted. "It's my own personal retreat from Rufus. I go in there, I close the door, he's out the way, there's no yelling….oh god it's so great. Just me and my monthly smut." Elena confessed. Tseng laughed at her harder.

"Oh my god, oh god…that's too great. Well, first. I'll have some of the peach tea. Secondly, my guilty pleasure is a bowl of fried rice and you know that crime scene investigation kinda' show that comes on Thursdays at eight? I mean it's not all crime scene there's also this really complicated relationship between Sergeant Alison Spidell and…" Elena cut him off.

" You mean Criminal Intent? Oh my god, you're addicted to Criminal Intent." Elena smiled all over.

"I make the fried myself. I think it's the best; better than Mae's in fact. And Elena, you don't understand Sergeant Spindell and the lieutenant are made for each other but all they do is make up excuses as to why they can't be together. Then things get all weird and tense between them after they sleep together." Tseng explained. Obviously enthralled in the plot.

"You're too funny. I bet you own seasons one and two. I'm totally buying you season three." Elena said as she dug some pasta out onto her plate.

"How did you know that?" Tseng insisted. Elena laughed again.

"Because, I'm picturing you on your couch with a bowl of fried rice with….god only knows you put everything but the kitchen sink in it…and your season one DVDs that I'm sure you've watched on the weekends in marathon sessions while Mae is…doin' whatever the hell Mae does." Elena said creating the perfect scenario.

"Yeah, and don't think I'll stop either." Tseng warned her. "And do you seriously always have cherry Kool-Aid?"

"Always. Rufus can go through a pitcher a day and nearly four on the weekends. The tacky ass punch at our wedding? It was spiked cherry Kool-Aid.

"Interesting. So, tell me. How do I discretely get a divorce lawyer to draw up the paperwork?" Tseng asked.

"You and Mae don't have a pre-nup, yes?"

"No, we don't. I'm willing to take care of her, though. She didn't deserve all this."

"What were you thinking? What do you want and not want her to get?" Elena asked.

"Honestly, I don't care. She can have the car, she can have the house….granted…she won't want either of those things because Mae wouldn't have the slightest clue how to sell a house or a car. I need to take care of her. Get her back to Wutai and give her some money. She won't have any otherwise, Mae doesn't have any skills. She's not employable in Wutai except on the farms. I was thinking, I'd let her keep her engagement ring and give her 75,000. That's an unheard of amount of money in north Wutai." Tseng explained. "Pasta's good." Elena shook her head.

"I think that sounds good. Do you have any names of lawyers? The only lawyer I know of personally is Rufus' attorney Engel Vivenland and he's an arrogant piece of shit."

"I looked at the white pages online yesterday and found Asbury Klein and Klein. They handle divorce settlements, custody battles, inheritance claims…things like that. I haven't called yet to make an appointment. Honestly, I also picked that firm because they operate outside of Midgar. I didn't want to risk someone seeing me." He explained.

"Understandable." Elena commented.

"I'll call tomorrow and make an appointment. I'll set it for after Rufus comes back." Tseng said.

"Okay, you can show me a rough draft of the wording the lawyer draws up for you."

"By the way, aren't I supposed to pick up Mae's gown tomorrow? How is that going to happen if we're in Kalm?" Tseng asked.

"Don't worry about it. They'll hold it until Saturday for sure. Speaking of Kalm, how serious are we about making an offer on one of the homes?" Elena asked.

"I'm pretty damn serious about it." Tseng assured her.

"Me too." Elena smiled. "Do you realize this is our first step? We're going to have a house Tseng…together. We're going to have a house together." Elena reminded him. The thought of it elated Tseng.

"It'll be the first thing that's truly ours." Tseng reminded her. Elena smiled all over.

"_Our_ house in Kalm." She said.


	4. The Palace

The alarm on Tseng's phone chimed surprisingly pleasantly for 5:30 in the morning. It had been the first night he and Elena had actually spent together since this affair began. He yawned and reached over for his phone, feeling around a bit aimlessly for a moment. Just thirty more minutes, thirty more minutes to lay here with Elena. He rolled over and took her naked body in his arms. "Morning." He mumbled, kissing her neck. Elena wasn't a sound sleeper at all. She had started to stir about ten minutes before the alarm went off. They were both so relaxed and the night before had been wonderfully exhausting. Elena wiggled free of Tseng's embrace and stretched her entire body out before sighing and rolling over to face him. She wrapped her arms around him.

"What time is it?" she mumbled in the darkness.

"5:30." He said softly, scraping blunt fingernails down her back.

"We should get moving soon, shouldn't we?" Elena mumbled.

"We can get there by 11:00 if we leave by 7:00." Tseng answered her. Elena sighed deeply.

"Another thirty minutes then." She whispered not trying any harder to wake up.

11:30 – Tseng and Elena had made the four hour trip to Kalm despite a traffic pile-up along their route. Kalm was so cold in the winter time and the preserved cobblestone streets of old Kalm lent a certain quaintness to the feel of the city.

"Where are we meeting the realtor?" Tseng asked as he debated which turn lane to get in.

"The Hermholst Avenue property so we should….uuhhh….oh. Right turn here then we go straight for about four miles and make a left on Hermholst. It's the third one on the right." Elena explained. Tseng actually found himself a little nervous. It was actually happening. What made him nervous was the paranoid fear that Mae would somehow find out that he was in Kalm…with another woman…about to buy his dream home. "We're seeing the Hermholst first, and then the Trinity Way, Edgewood Road and Three Rivers Crossing." Elena explained.

"I had forgotten what a nice, small town Kalm was. We'll miss the luxury of Midgar but look what we'll gain." Tseng said. Elena smiled.

"You're exactly right." Once out of old central Kalm, they made the turn onto Hermholst.

"Okay, I'll look for the real estate sign and you scope out the neighborhood." Tseng said slowing down noticeably. Elena's eyes darted from one side of the road to the other until they approached the first property. The agent was already there, as her car was in the driveway. Tseng pulled in behind the agent and looked over at Elena. She sighed nervously and shook her head.

"Here we go." Tseng reached over and squeezed her hand before opening the car door. A woman appeared from the side garage door of the house.

"Hello! Hi…hi. You must be the Yang's. Welcome to Kalm." The agent said warmly. You must be the Yang's? Neither Tseng nor Elena had ever heard it out loud before. There was just one problem. They weren't the Yang's….yet. They were both silent for a moment. They had two choices: Be the new Yang's in Kalm and no one would ever know any different or be the married cheating spouses….Elena smiled.

"Yes….yes we are. Elena….Elena Yang. It's a pleasure to meet you." Elena said shaking the agent's hand. Tseng's heart nearly leapt out of his chest in a combination of nervous energy and excitement over what Elena had just said.

"Please, come this way. I'll show you the house and the grounds." The agent said. Elena looked back at Tseng.

"What's the neighborhood like here?" Tseng asked following the agent inside the house.

"It's quiet, not a lot of traffic. Most of the home owners here are married couples of which both work full time. May I ask what you two do?"

"I'm a department director for the Shinra Electric Power Company." Tseng answered.

"And I'm under him." Elena said running her hand over the countertops in the kitchen. "We're working partners. We specialize in weapons and tactics."

"Wow. That's impressive. There are a lot of young people here in Kalm that dream of working for the Shinra company but there's no one here really able to train them for entrance into the academy. I've heard it's tough in the academy."

"It is. It truly is. Perhaps that's something me and my….wife…can look into once we make the move." Tseng said examining the roof lines within the house.

"How long have you been married?" she asked.

"Two years."

"Four Years." The answers were simultaneous.

"I…I mean…yeah. Two years. It just seems like four because we dated for two years as well." It was effective quick thinking. They spent another twenty minutes at the property not nearly as impressed as they thought they'd be. And then, they promptly moved to the next.

"I cannot believe we just lied to a Kalm real estate agent about who we really are." Tseng told Elena as they got in the car once again to follow the agent to the next property. Elena laughed.

"Yeah, well…it sounded nice didn't it?" she questioned.

"It really did. Let's just hope this next house has more to offer than that one did." Tseng answered her.

"Yeah, that house was a bit more dated on the inside than it looked from the outside. Trinity Way overlooks historic Kalm." Elena said.

"You know, today is kind of like a date that you and I have never been able to have." Tseng reminded her.

"It's a house buying date. I bet you never thought you'd go on a date where your girl had 430,000 gil in cash in her purse." Elena said. It was true that indeed, she had that much cash in her purse. They weren't kidding when they had agreed that they were serious about making an offer.

"This looks nice up here." Tseng commented as they made the turn onto Trinity Way. He followed the agent to the last house on the left side of the street. "Oh my god…if this place looks half as good on the inside as it does on the outside, we're in for quite the treat."

"Let's hope so. I'm already impressed by the area." Elena said shoving her very full purse on her shoulder and getting out of the car.

"I want to start by showing you the back yard." The agent said slamming her car door. "The view is just marvelous." She was right, they were awestruck at the view in the back. Elena pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders as the cold Kalm air blew in. Tseng put an arm around her.

"Look at that, you can see all the way to the tributaries." Tseng said.

"If you'll follow me inside?" the agent said unlocking a side door. "Do you have children?"

"Does a cat count?" Tseng asked the agent. She laughed at him. Elena glanced back at Tseng, smiling all over. Her first impression was positive. She hoped that he was liking what he saw as much as she was. The agent laughed.

"Come, I'd like to show you the main living floor and the master bedroom. I must say, I think you'll like what you see. Elena gasped the very minute she cleared the top step from the basement area from where they had just come.

"Oooooh my god! Oh my god!" she was nearly speechless over the view, the towering stone fireplace that was the centerpiece of the room, and the deck that wrapped around the back of the house.

"Wow…this is beautiful….this is just beautiful. God, those cabinets look brand new." Tseng commented running his fingers over a seam.

"They are. The previous couple put them in and…well…now here the house sets empty." The agent said solemnly.

"What happened?" Elena asked as her high heels clicked around on the tile and hardwood floors.

"Divorce." The agent said. Elena's eyes shot up at the agent.

"People just aren't happy anymore." The agent added.

"Maybe she was married to rich, self-entitled asshole." Elena said letting her eyes trace the crown moldings.

"Or he could have been married to a woman he never even liked to being with. So, the master bedroom?" Tseng asked her.

"Pardon me for sounding unknowledgeable. But, how is a home like this….listed for the price that's on it?" Elena asked following the agent upstairs.

"Property here is a fraction of the cost of what it is in Midgar. A home like this would cost upwards of 700,000 in Midgar but people aren't exactly moving to Kalm in hoards. May I ask, what brings a Shinra couple like you to Kalm?" the agent asked hoping she wasn't overstepping her boundaries. Tseng looked at Elena in a panic.

"We're just looking to get away from the city." Elena answered with complete composure.

"I see. Master bedroom? Shall we?" the agent Lead them up the stairs.

"I like the hardwood. Tasteful." Elena commented running her hand over the banister.

"it is." The agent said. "And…here it is. The master suite. It attaches to an adjacent bedroom. It would be perfect to convert into a baby's room or a study or….something like that." Tseng grabbed Elena and flipped her around to face him. He was shaking his head yes. Elena did the same. The agent was talking away. Elena pointed to her purse and Tseng shook his head even more in agreement.

"Pardon me. I don't mean to interrupt but…tell me. Have there been any offers on this property?" Elena asked the agent.

"Uh yes, three. The owners are looking over the offers and…well, then it will come down to who can get the money the fastest since it has to clear from the bank and all."

"We don't need to see any more. The house is beautiful, the surroundings are beautiful. We're prepared to make a cash offer of 420,000 gil right now." Elena pulled the cash out of her purse and presented it to the agent. The agent was speechless.

"You can call the owners if you need to and present the offer to them. Or…you can count the cash. It's all there." Elena said. If Elena learned anything while married to Rufus, it was how to drive a hard bargain.

"Do you need my husband to write the owners a check instead? Whatever it takes. We want the house." The agent smiled.

"The owners will be delighted over this. Let me make a phone call. The ex-wife will be here to pick up the cash and give you the keys. Oh, how many keys do you want? There are three sets. Would you like all three?"

"Yes, we would." Tseng smiled all over and took Elena in his arms.

"Very well, excuse me." The agent left them alone to make the call to the former owners. Elena smiled all over.

"I bought us a house…you buy us dinner." She laughed as he kissed her. It wasn't Rufus's money. It was all Elena's money…publicity money that she had been saving for this very day.

"You know, neither of us are going to be bringing a whole lot of furniture to this place. We're gonna' need to go furniture shopping sometime after we get these divorces rolling." Tseng said.

"Yeah, we'll want our own furniture anyway. Oh my god, I can't believe we're gonna get the keys in like…less than ten minutes. Now remember, you sign all the paperwork okay? If I _have_ to sign anything…I'm going to take a huge, huge risk…and sign it Elena Yang." Tseng kissed the top of her head.

"Alright. About the keys…"

"Do you want to in the glove box of your car? Mae's never in there is she?" Elena asked.

"That's an excellent place for them." Tseng agreed.

"Come here…we could turn this room into a mini bar. See, we can keep all of this the same…put a wine fridge right here because there's already plumbing here and….make this a sink basin, extend this to actually be a bar with two barstools. We could put a TV in that corner over there…tile this in here like a kitchenette…" Elena found herself completely swept away. "What do you think of that?" She was still holding his hand from where she had pulled him into the adjacent room.

"I think…it's the beginning of all our dreams finally coming true." He kissed her again.

"Oh, baby…I know but….we still need to be very, very careful." Elena reminded him.

"You're right. And we will. Now, where do you want me to take you to dinner? You know it's an actual dinner date."

"Let's ask where we should go."


	5. Glamorous

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Shinra." The room exploded in applause and audible gasps. It was likely a reaction to multiple things: they were a splendid couple, simply gorgeous to look at together, and Elena's gown was a shocking pale nude pink. From a distance, she looked naked. He looked amazing. She looked amazing. Rufus wasted no time flashing his gorgeous watch to the room as he waved to guests. Equally flashy was Elena's twelve karats of diamonds around her wrist. Tseng felt his mouth go dry as he sat there with Mae watching his lover kiss Rufus with those ruby red painted lips. Rufus was perfectly polished and perfectly immaculate. There was no man on Earth who could pull off a combination of black and dusted gold the way he was right now.

Had any other man in this room been dressed like that, it wouldn't have worked. Of course, Rufus Shinra was 'unofficially' the sexiest man in Midgar….and it was rightfully so seeing him tonight. It made Tseng dreadfully insecure. He watched them descend the elaborate staircase. For a split second, they looked very much in love. To the room, they were a fairy tale…a magical and gorgeous couple who had it all. Had the room known the ugly truth…they still wouldn't have believed it. Rufus had never looked more powerful and more influential. It was only now, in this moment that Tseng realized how much of a titan he was going up against in taking Elena from him. Rufus loved attention, he loved to have his way…and he wouldn't at all love the fact that his wife had been cheating on him…with his closest associate.

"Damn, are you seein' that. God, I never pictured Elena as sexy until right now." Reno whispered to Tseng. Mae was in complete awe of the Shinra's. She continued watching them make their way across the room and tapped Tseng's shoulder lightly. He jumped a bit.

"They're so beautiful…" Mae said dreamily.

"Yeah….yeah….yeah she is…" Tseng could hardly speak for the dryness in his throat. He hurriedly reached for his champagne glass. Mae was feeling completely out of place as she watched the swoop train of Elena's dress drag the floor. Tseng didn't take his eyes off her as she took the mike in her hand. Elena was about to give the opening speech.

"Thank you. Thank you. Rufus and I are more than delighted to be here to support the Department of Urban Development. I know I speak for Rufus when I say we firmly believe in our company departments and their commitment to Shinra technology. It is with pride that I announce the department's 57 million gil interior plate renovation and renewal project. They have a marvelous presentation put together that you are able to view in the atrium. I encourage each of you to give the department your time in viewing it I sincerely applaud the efforts of the company to urban development." Elena motioned for Rufus. He would most certainly steal the show. The room clapped for him as he took the podium. Elena was good at the bullshit and Tseng knew it. She could have cared less about the Urban Development's stupid project. He knew she had quickly become a pro at bullshit responses after being married to Rufus for only three months.

"Thank you…thank you. The turnout this evening for this grand event is exquisite. I couldn't agree with my wife more. Urban development is…" Rufus rambled on an on. Tseng couldn't even focus on what he was saying. All he could think about in this very moment was tearing Elena away from him and fucking her brains out in Rufus's hotel suite on fine burgundy satin sheets. He unbuttoned his tux jacket and shoved his fingers into one of the inner pockets. There it was: A keycard with the Shinra insignia on it. Proof that Tseng had trained Elena well. She had slipped this card to him so discreetly the day before, it was as if it had magically appeared. Tseng had never before felt so jealous of Rufus and hated Rufus so much. To think….that damn millionaire had the most beautiful and perfect woman in the world…and all he did was throw her away. He took her for granted every single day. He belittled her, demeaned her, and had done so many horrible things in his attempts to change who she was so she would be the perfect wife. Rufus adored everything in his life being perfect and Tseng wanted nothing more than to wreck that. Tseng's mind raced at the thought of what Elena may or may not have been wearing underneath her unbelievable gown.

"Seriously, boss. She's beautiful, She's just fuckin' beautiful. Are you seein' this!" Reno tapped Tseng's shoulder repeatedly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…." Tseng said absently.

"I guess it's 'cause you work with 'er everyday. You don't see what I see right now. I mean, I know Rufus is her husband and all but I guarantee you that any man in this room right now would have their way with her." Reno continued emptying his champagne glass. "Oh, or it's because you're all married and stuff and your wife is all, right there and...are you even listening to me?"

"Huh? Yeah…yeah, whatever." Tseng said drinking down the rest of his champagne as quickly as he could. He reached for the champagne bottle and shifted his focus to Rufus. He began to wonder….what the hell did he have that Rufus didn't? He wondered how the hell Elena fell in love with him…and _out_ of love with Rufus. Sure Elena and Rufus fought like cats and dogs part of the time but the rest of their marriage was okay…..right? After all, Rufus Shinra owned Midgar…and was well on his way to owning the world. He could have any woman he wanted…why did he have to have Elena? Tseng knew there was no way he could give Elena the kind of life Rufus gave her. Why the fuck was she so crazy about him and not Rufus? Why did she want to give the rest of her life to a man that was once nothing more than a kid in Wutai…that ended up in Midgar by chance? He glanced over at Mae. She hadn't even touched her champagne. It was okay. He'd drink that too. Tseng felt guilty because he knew that his own wife was just another face in this room….she simply faded into the woodwork….whereas Elena stole every eye in the room.

"And with that…I'll let my beautiful wife Elena, give you the closing remarks as we raise out glass tonight. "Elena…" Rufus took her hand and pulled her up on the platform with him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in honor of the Shinra Electric Power Company, if you ain't got no money….take your broke ass home." Elena tapped her champagne flute into Rufus's as the room erupted. She kissed him again. Naturally, Reno enjoyed that final toast more than anything. Tseng downed the champagne he had just refilled in no time. He reached over for Mae's glass, swallowing it's contents in three gulps. Mae turned around.

"Is she like that at work too?" she smiled all over.

"Mmm….she's…yeah…yeah she is." He answered her. It was time for Rufus and Elena's first dance to jumpstart the evening. Elena had made a request earlier in the evening and the song she requested nearly made Tseng's heart stop….the opening lines of the song she requested said it all:

If lovin' you is wrong. I don't wanna' be right.

If being right means livin' without you.

I'd rather be wrong than right…..

My friends tell me there's no future in lovin' a married man.

If I can't see you when I want. I'll see you when I can….

To the crowd, the first dance song choice, seemed 'edgy', a bit 'trendy' and 'unconventional'….they ate it up. The tables would be dismissed one by one to get dinner from the buffet. It was an over the top buffet that had been well thought out.

"Excuse me…could we get another bottle of champagne?" Tseng asked a passing waiter.

"Certainly, one moment." The waiter said heading for a cooler.

"Hey…hey…" he tapped Mae on her shoulder with the back of his hand. She turned around. "Do you want your champagne glass at all?"

"No, that's okay." Mae answered. Tseng didn't say anything, he just kept it in front of him. "I'll be back." She said leaving the table. He nodded at her. It was now that he did something he hadn't done for a long time. Why he did it tonight…in such a public venue…he wasn't sure. He slipped his emerald wedding band off and tucked it into his coat.

"Thank you…thank you so much. Yeah, just …just fill them both…all the way…you, you know what….I'll just…keep that bottle. Yôufú de shé." He mumbled the old Wutai blessing for whatever reason– Blessed is the serpent.

"You….look like you're about to flip the fuck out." Reno said slinging an arm around his boss.

"Believe me…I'll be fine after these two glasses of champagne." Tseng said drinking one stem in four gulps.

"Man, I don't want you to take this the wrong way….but….you're wife is…she's really, really quiet." He said.

"She doesn't wanna' be here. She doesn't belong here. She has no idea what to do here and she wants to go home. Holy shit, did you see Rufus just blow Elena off for that…that whoever the hell that guy is!" Tseng asked him.

"I think that champagne's already hittin' you boss." He watched Tseng drink Mae's glass.

"Whadda' ya think that's like…bein' a millionaire?" Reno asked looking up at Rufus working one side of the room and Elena working the other. "Rufus and Elena can have anything they fuckin' want…any time they fuckin' want it….._anything_, man!"

"Yeah…but uh, havin' anything you want…comes with a price…and someone always gets hurt in the end." Tseng said as Mae returned to their table.

"That's some deep shit, man." Reno said patting him on the back. "Come on, it's time to hit the buffet." Reno said getting up. Tseng shook his head.

"Mae, you go ahead. I'm…not hungry." He said. She shook her head and followed Reno. Tseng already knew….she would hardly say a word to Reno aside from a polite smile or a hello. Once Reno and Mae left Elena came by the table.

"You look amazing." Tseng told her. "But I can tell, by that look in your eyes…you want your flannel pants so badly you can't stand it." Elena laughed at him.

"Thank you and yes…you uh…you're exactly right. I can think of one thing I want more than even my flannel pants. I'm so sick…of talking to all these people." Elena looked around. "Around 10:15." She said. Tseng knew what it meant.

"And the…" Elena cut him off.

"Yeah, the chauffer will be at the east entrance to this place. It's been arranged. I told him she was a friend of mine." Elena said referring to Tseng's wife. "He'll make sure she gets in the house and all." Elena stood up, seeing as that she was needed elsewhere. "Get to the buffet. It's seriously unbelievable. They have cocktail shrimp the size of my fist!" Elena said pushing her chair underneath the table. Tseng shook his head.

"Shit, Elena. I can't eat. I'm a nervous wreck, I'm insanely jealous, I've got like…five million things going through my head and I'm beyond insecure…need I go on?" he said. Elena looked concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"It's…it's nothing. It's me, Elena. I'm…I'm having a tough time tonight seeing you with him. I mean it's….it's just getting' to me tonight." He admitted to her. They needed to wrap this up as Reno and Mae were retuning.

"Tseng, I'm eating my dinner with you tonight…in my suite…not my husband. Think about that for another hour or so." Elena said before walking away. It truly put things into perspective a little for Tseng. He still couldn't get past his immediate jealousy or insecurity….but it was true: Elena was blowing off Mr. Powerful, Mr. Got it All, Mr. Invincible….for Tseng. She hurried back to Tseng quickly. "Fuck Rufus. You're the sexiest man in this room tonight." She said very quietly. "Reno! And…Mae Yang! Hi Mae. I'm so thrilled you came."

"Oh my, Mrs. Shinra. It's my pleasure." She quickly sat her plate down and gave Elena a deep nod.

"Please! Please, Mae. No, no you don't have to do that to me. Please, let me see your eyes." Elena said pushing Mae's chin up. In north Wutai, they taught you to acknowledge esteemed guests without looking them in the eye.

"Yeah, Mae…I work with this one…believe me you don't gotta' do none a' that shit." Reno said barely even sitting down before he dove into his plate. "Hey, 'Lena speakin' of…me….you gonna' dance with me tonight?"

"Of course, I will!" Elena insisted.

"I'll let you two eat. Oh and Tseng? I'll be expecting some of your _best_moves." She winked at Reno before leaving.

"Oh god, oh god, oh, god, oh god, oh god, oh god…."Tseng said to himself at least a billion and a half times in his head.

"What the hell Tseng! I didn't know you danced! I've never pictured you as the type! I mean you're so…." Reno was delighted.

"Yeah, yeah….yep…apparently…I do! Yeah, yep….I uh….do….yeah….that's right….yeah….shit I need some water." Tseng said through his nervous laughter as he reached for the pitcher on the table.


	6. Making the Deal

The evening passed. Elena had been glancing at the clock all night. It was 10:00…it was time for her to move.

"Mae? You look tired, would you like to go home?" Tseng asked her.

"I would. Is that okay? I really don't want to be here anymore." she asked of Tseng.

"Of course it is. Do you mind if I stay? I can get a chauffer to take you home." Tseng wasn't feeling as nervous as he was earlier; part of it being that he had quite a bit of champagne in him. "I won't be home until late so don't wait up on me."

"Alright." Mae agreed. "Hold on one moment." Tseng said leaving Mae to find Elena.

* * *

><p>"Elena, I'm going to go to the casino with the department. I won't be back until…well, very, very late." Rufus told her.<p>

"That's alright, darling. I'll take a long bath, have a Cuban, catch a nap…and then be ready for you to work me over when you come in." Elena said running her hands up and down the V in his tuxedo. Rufus smiled and kissed her.

"I'll look forward to it. Don't expect me in before three. If I'm winning it may be a little later." Rufus explained. Elena smiled and put her arms around him, kissing him more passionately than she had in months. "Have fun, darling..." she paused. "I know I will." Elena waited until Rufus had disappeared for the casino on the 3rd floor. Elena caught sight of Tseng.

"He's heading for the casino. All clear." She said softly.

"Mae's ready. Come on, she's over here. I'll see you in a few." Tseng said leading Elena through the crowd to where Mae was standing.

"Mae! Come with me. A chauffer is coming to pick you up and take you home." Elena grabbed Mae's hand. She looked to Tseng seemingly for approval to go with Elena. He gave her a nod.

"See you at home, Mae." Tseng took of across the room before Mae could get another word in.

* * *

><p>"This way, Mae. Did you have fun tonight?" Elena asked as she glided across the room.<p>

"I…I don't know…I…I guess so. Your dress is really pretty." Mae said meekly.

"Thank you. This way. I'll wait with you. My chauffer will be here shortly." Elena said shoving a heavy side door open dragging Mae into the cold. There were cars parked on either side of the street, there wasn't a parking spot to be found. The cool air whisked through Elena's gown, causing the gentle layers to play on the breeze. She shivered a little. I know it's cold out here, but he'll be here soon, I promise." Elena assured her. Mae smiled sweetly.

"You smell nice." She told Elena. "I feel like…like I know that smell or something but…I can't seem to place it." Mae commented. Elena studied her carefully.

"It's my favorite perfume." Elena answered feeling a little nervous that Mae was familiar with her scent.

"I don't…mean to be nosy but…what's it like? Living the life you do, I mean." Mae asked. Elena suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of guilt as she stared at this innocent woman. For a millisecond, Elena thought about saying 'by the way, I'm fucking your husband….but it was merely a fleeting thought. Now it was time to lie again. Tell Mae Yang what she told the media a hundred times before, what she had said in every interview she had ever given about her marriage…

"It's….it's wonderful. It's perfect." Once again, Elena fought back the tears and hid it with a smile as she said it. She was divinely trained in that little white lie.

"I must say…Tseng's given me a life I would have never had in Wutai. He's…given me so much that I've never had before." Elena looked over at Mae.

"You and I Mae…have something in common." Elena said seeing her driver pull up. Of course, Mae thought Elena was talking about her own marriage. Mae gasped.

"Oh my, what kind of car is that!" she was in awe of it. True, it was a gorgeous car.

"It's a Bentley. Rufus loves that car. It's his favorite." Elena said a bit sentimentally.

"You mean…he has more than one?" Mae asked.

"He has seven. A Maserati, an Aston Martin, two Cadillac XLR's….one of them is mine, a Rolls Royce, a Ferrari, and the Bentley." Elena rattled them off like a grocery list.

"Are those expensive?" Mae asked. Elena laughed and shook her head.

"Oh Mae." She opened the door for Mae and bid her farewell. "…you truly are naïve." Elena whispered after her driver took off again.

* * *

><p>The elevator doors flung open and Elena hurried down the hall, keycard in hand and her gown pulled up slightly from the floor. She felt an overwhelming rush of excitement as she jammed the keycard into the door and pulled it open. It was evident that Tseng hadn't been here long. She didn't say anything but instead lunged forward, throwing her arms around him and kissing him with raw fire. She pulled her lips away and looked at him. "First thing's first." Elena said turning around and opening up the small refrigerator behind her.<p>

"Why the hell are you even staying here? You live four blocks from this hotel." Tseng asked running his hand over the beautiful comforter before sitting down. He reached into the jacket of his tux and pulled his wedding band out, lying it on the table beside the bed. He feared it would fall from the pocket when he slung his jacket over the chaise.

"We have to stay. Did you see how many people me and Rufus had to talk to tonight? Besides, he's at the casino until god only knows when. Did you want to hit the black jack tables tonight? Rufus will have a Cuban in one hand, a brandy in the other and be in the high roller room all night. So, I mean, if you wanna go, we can." Elena said pulling the chilled flutes out.

"No, no. I just want to be here with you tonight. That's something you and I can do some other time…like when your husband's not in the same room? How much does it cost a normal person to stay in a suite like this?" Tseng asked looking above him at the vaulted ceiling.

"A thousand a night. Here we go." Elena had popped the cork on a 600 gil bottle of champagne she had a hotel employee put into this little refrigerator earlier in the evening. She handed a glass to Tseng. "And wait, wait….Happy Birthday." She handed over a handsomely wrapped small box to him. Elena slung one arm around him as she practically sat on his lap. "Open this first. Before you try the champagne you have to open this first. There was a knock at the door and Tseng's eyes grew wide. "It's okay. The timing is superb. It's your birthday dinner. You didn't eat earlier and I told you that I was eating with you. Hold on." Elena sat her champagne flute down and left Tseng alone for a moment while she grabbed the door in the small adjacent room. "Thank you…yes…yes….have a good night." Elena brought a small cart back inside with her. "Alright, now you can open this." Tseng stared at her.

"What is it? What is it that…you see in me…that makes you want to do things like this for me? What is it, Elena that I have….that Rufus can't possibly give you. He…he's got it all, Elena. Including you." He asked her.

"You love me. You…you adore me, in fact. You respect me. You…you know me. You know me, Tseng. Everything about me. It's everything that Rufus could never do for me. I love you. I love…_you._" Elena assured him. He shook his head. He got it now. He had no reason to be jealous, to be insecure or to worry….Elena was _his_. Not even the most powerful man in quite possibly the world could take her away from him.

"You're amazing…" he told her.

"I mean it…now open this!" Elena picked up her champagne flute from the dresser where she had placed it before running to the door and waited in anticipation.

"Did you use enough tape?" Tseng made fun of how much tape she had plastered all over the thin box.

"Oh, hush. I had to wrap that in the car in between red lights going to work!" Elena defended herself.

"In that case, marvelous job." Tseng commented finally prying through her scotch tape prison. Elena was beyond excited. "Oh my god…oh my…this…my grandfather one just like this on his desk. He…I'd always pick it up and….where did you find this? This is an antique! This is…I've always wanted one since my grandfather died."

"Lots and lots of sexual favors. Actually, it just took a lot of calling around to antique dealers. Found it from a private collection in South Wutai. At first the woman didn't want to sell it, but…I have a way of negotiating."

"I'm just…I can't believe it. This is…it's the most special thing anyone has ever done." Tseng said admiring every part of this stunning antique letter opener. It was a solid emerald image of Leviathan and the blade was mother of pearl edged in gold. It was a spectacular piece that had gone out of production ten years prior to the war in Wutai.

"I'm so glad you like it. I knew you would." Elena said wrapping her arms around his cashmere jacket. "I know you're thirty-four for three more days but I knew we should do this tonight." Elena said. Tseng put his very heartfelt gift back in its box and sat it aside. He kissed her deeply, very deeply.

"Thank you…thank you so much. I love you." Tseng told her softly.

"We drink to it." Elena said holding her glass up to his.

"As if I hadn't already had enough champagne. But yes, we drink to it." Tseng assured her.

"And we eat! Here's what you missed earlier. But, I waited on you so dig in while I change out of this dress. Don't worry, I'm keeping what's under this dress on." Elena said as she slipped away into the bathroom. Tseng started without her. He was indeed starving but he was just entirely too nervous to have eaten earlier.

"This is delicious. Oh my god, this is…it's really good. By the way, I contacted that lawyer. The firm's drawing up a draft this week and I'm supposed to go look at it Monday."

"Oh yeah? Make sure the lawyer clearly defines what Mae gets. You don't want any room for vagueness or it can potentially be challenged by a judge." Elena called back to him.

"Did you taste these green beans almondine! My god! And this prime rib! How did you keep this warm?" Tseng asked distracted by the outstanding food.

"I had a bus boy make the plates at 10:00 when I took Mae to the car." Elena yelled over the sound of the running water. Finally, she appeared again, gown on a hanger and she shoved it into a closet along with her shoes. She had washed all her makeup off and put her diamond bracelet back into it's velvet case. Tseng laughed at her.

"You finally look comfortable." He said seeing as her gray sweatshirt was at least two sizes too big for her and hitting at the top of her thighs. "What are you uh….wearing underneath that sweatshirt?" he asked of her. Elena smiled.

"Something you'll like, I'm sure of it." Elena grabbed her plate and sat down beside Tseng.

"Give me a hint." Tseng begged of her.

"Lace…not much of it." Elena said swallowing some champagne.

* * *

><p>Nearly thirty minutes later, Tseng and Elena were well into the champagne and were getting ready to get into a box of Cuban cigars. "Have you ever smoked a Cuban?" Elena asked lighting a few candles to counter act the smell of the cigars. This was technically a non-smoking suite but these candles Elena had snuck into her luggage would hide the cigar smoke for the most part. Not to mention, the windows in the room were operable, so they could air this place out after while.<p>

"No, I haven't." Tseng said. "Tell me about these." He said taking his jacket off and laying it over the arm of the chaise. He took his smoke gray tie off and laid it over his jacket before laying his cufflinks on the table with his wedding band.

"These cost 2200 gil for a box of sixteen. You're in for a treat though. Even I can't get enough of these Cubans. "We'll share one. You being the cigar virgin and me not being able to smoke a whole one anyway will work out." She explained. Elena opened the box as she watched Tseng unbutton his pristinely white shirt.

"And you acquired a taste for cigars when?" Tseng asked watching Elena pull one of the massive rolls from the box.

"I haven't really. But they're very calming to me. Especially after I've been screamin' my ass off to Rufus. There was this one night though…like…three weeks after we were married; I sat on the terrace with him and we lit one of these up. I loved the smell, the taste and it was a warm evening. That night…was the one night I didn't hate Rufus. Have you ever had a night like that with Mae?" Elena said digging for the lighter in one of Rufus' bags.

"Yeah….yeah there was…this weekend that we went back to Wutai to visit my parents. One night she and I went to the parade of the dragons…it's this…festival thing. I stood there with her and we had this amazing spot where we could see everything. It was…it was just so magical, that night was. I'm sorry…that sounds so fuckin' lame. But it was. It was the one night I looked at Mae and thought she coulda' been some kind of Wutaiian princess." Elena smiled.

"It's not lame at all. It just proves that there's been at least one pleasant moment in our failed marriages. Okay, now watch." She instructed Tseng to watch how she kept the ambers live on the cigar. She left a cloud of smoke escape her. Clearly, she had done this before.

"Oh my god, what about that smoke detector?" Tseng asked looking above him and pouring more champagne into Elena's flute.

"Honey, I took the batteries out of that thing early this morning when me and Rufus were bitching about the water bill." Elena said. Tseng laughed stupidly.

"Why the hell are you two fighting over a water bill! Shit…Rufus could….buy a fuckin' ocean!"

"Oh it wasn't that…we were arguing over why my name is on out water bill and not his. He wants his name on everything, Tseng! Shit, he'd fuckin' carve his initials in my cunt if he could!" Okay, Elena was a little drunk... That only made Tseng laugh at her even more.

"Shut up, you're drunk. Here. Try this." Elena handed the cigar over to Tseng. She loomed over him resting the weight of her body on one arm and holding her flute in the other careful not to spill champagne everywhere as she sipped it.

"Hmmm…sweet and…a little bit of citrus?" Tseng observed handing it back to her.

"Yep. You're observant."

"It is nice. Warm and…really flavorful." Tseng leaned back on the brushed golden comforter and into a pile of pillows.

"I uh…I'm gonna' tell Rufus next week." Elena said laying on Tseng and taking the fragrant cigar from him.

"You tell…I tell. My dad's flying in for a couple days next week. I'll make a deal with you. My rough draft will be ready to read on Monday. My dad will be here Tuesday evening. He'll be flying out Friday morning. You tell Rufus Friday night, I tell Mae."

"Deal." Elena said unfastening the handsome leather belt he was wearing. "Shit hits the fan Friday."

"So, what happens…like….what's next after we tell them?"

"We have them sign the papers before an attorney or a judge. In my case, I'll be signing them before Rufus' attorney. We get them signed and we get out. We'll figure out the rest when it happens." Elena said handing the cigar back.

"For now, I say we polish off the champagne…then you get under me." Tseng said eyeing her all over.

"What if I wanna' be on top?"

"You can have it all. Remember, Elena. With Rufus you gotta' cram everything in within…what? Twenty minutes? You can have me for at least an hour." Elena laughed wildly.

"Oooh my god. Tseng, it has to be crammed in within fifteen minutes. And I happen to know that you have more than an hour in you. Granted it's exhausting as hell…but I know you've got it."

* * *

><p>Elena gasped desperately. Tseng's sweat clung to both Elena and the sheets around her. She dug her fingernails into his back, mauling him as she felt him shove her legs wider apart. She was already raw and sore but she didn't care. Long, black hair fell in her face as her body slid toward the edge of the bed. Tseng's body melted into hers; their rhythm uninterrupted and their appetite….insatiable. It was a cold January night but the temperature in the room was pure fever. Elena dug her nails even harder into his shoulders and threw Tseng underneath her. "It's my turn…"she said breathlessly. She planted her palms on Tseng's stomach. She had enough strength left in her thighs to last but she'd probably trade Tseng places again. Tseng loved a woman on top…it was wonderful being dominated and knowing that he was in control of nothing right now. He just watched her own him. The sweat glistening on her neck, her sweet, smell, and every chemical in her body mixing with his. The louder she got the closer she got. Tseng pushed her off of him, backwards into the bunched mass of soft blankets.<p>

Elena put her arms around him, holding Tseng against her so that his body rubbed mercilessly against her. The feeling of him in her, deep, and slow. Elena arched her head back and let Tseng know just _how_ good a job he had done. Her words were tainted and she demanded he make a mess out of her. It was a clash of indescribable passion. It was a hell of a power trip for Tseng. It was immediate bliss for Elena. Tseng's heavy panting hit her face as her body swallowed him up.

Just as he had wanted…he wrecked Rufus' perfect wife, in his perfect suite, on perfect burgundy sheets. He could have stared at Elena forever but they were running out of time. "You're….so fuckin' wet…" he didn't know why he stated the obvious and especially now.

"Thank you." She answered before kissing him.

* * *

><p>It was nearly 5:00 AM. Tseng hadn't been kidding when he told Mae he would be in late. He had reluctantly left Elena in a goodbye that was almost painful. Mae had been asleep for hours. Tseng knew there was no way in hell he could get into his own bed beside her. His smell was a dead giveaway, it was a combination of citrus, vanilla, sweat, alcohol, and Elena. He also had to do something with this tuxedo. It just….it didn't smell like him. It smelled like her, it smelled like a hotel room….he could have gotten off right now again on the smell of it and the thought of one of the most erotically charged nights he had ever had. It was one hell of a birthday.<p>

* * *

><p>Back at the hotel, Elena heard the door of the suite open. She had her head hung over the side of the bed and was entirely naked, her clothes on the floor exactly where Tseng had left them. Rufus had a handsome wad of money in his hand and he smelled strongly of a fine brandy. Elena laughed.<p>

"Hi Rufus…"

"Oh my god...look at you…you're…wow." Was all Rufus said. Elena laughed a bit maliciously as she laid there naked, Tseng still swirling around inside of her. He had only been gone for ten minutes.

"Oh Rufus….darling…I have a secret…." She laughed again as she watched Rufus start peeling his layers of clothes off. He was pretty well drunk. In fact, he was on the verge of wasted. He laughed stupidly at her.

"And what might your secret be?" he asked hanging his jacket up.

"I've been a baaaaaaad, bad, girl…." She laughed maliciously again. Most of her champagne had worn off. She had cleverly sent all the evidence of Tseng's being there away by sitting an empty champagne bottle, two champagne flutes and the evidence of their dinner into the hall. It had been removed by hotel personnel. "I've been…thrashing around in these sheets…." Rufus laughed stupidly again.

"Oh, Elena. You're a wild one…." If only he knew she was still warm with the heat of another man…


	7. Trapped

"I'll be back in about an hour. Wish me luck!" Mae beamed as she hugged her father-in-law.

"Oh Mae, I hope you get good news. We'll be anxiously awaiting your return." Tseng's father assured her. She smiled and tied her scarf tighter around her neck before leaving the house. Tseng told her goodbye as he threw a few handfuls of rice into the rice cooker.

"You know, she's having an ultrasound. You should've gone with her. You're going to miss the first pictures of your child." Ling said sitting on the couch.

"She's not pregnant, dad." He said searching the top cabinets for the wok.

"Well, she said she was three weeks late. She very well could be, son."

"Believe me dad, she's not pregnant." Tseng said coating the wok in oil.

"What's wrong with you? Why would you say that?" Ling was a bit shocked by that statement.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I just…today was a long day at work, okay? Rufus is a very demanding man." His father stared at him, watching him push snow peas and carrots around the wok.

"I'm going to take a quick shower, do you mind?"

"No. There's towels in the bathroom closet and I put your bag in our closet as well." Tseng told him as he continuously worked the vegetables around the wok faster and faster to cook them through. The TV murmured in the background as he added a handful of sliced mushrooms. He heard his phone notify him that he had a new text message. He knew he couldn't answer it at the moment. He had to keep his mixture moving. His mind was racing as he thought about the best way to hide the package that would be coming to him in the next few weeks. Wutai was the most mystical place on earth and known for four things: Leviathan, it's rice production, the shipping industry, and emeralds. In fact, Wutai produced the most brilliant and pure emeralds in the world. Tseng's wedding band in fact was a beautiful deep emerald and diamond inlay. He had already chosen and ordered Elena's engagement ring. Sure she didn't need an engagement ring but he wanted nothing more than to give her one. It would be arriving within three to four weeks. A Wutaiian emerald wasn't worth near the money her diamond was….but it would mean more to her than anything. Tseng had been lost in his thoughts for the past few minutes and his father's voice startled him slightly.

"Did Mae take four pregnancy tests?" his father asked. He had seen all four of them lined up on the sink in the bathroom.

"Yeah…yeah she did. Three negative and one she _says_came back positive. That's why she went to the doctor…to know for sure. But she's not pregnant. She's just going to get disappointed."

"Why do you keep saying she's not?"

"Because dad! The thing that she needs from me to _get__her_ pregnant….isn't in her!" Tseng nearly burned the vegetables because he had quit stirring them as he talked exasperatedly to his father.

"Tell me about the black box in the top of your closet." His father insisted. Tseng looked up, and picked up the finely chopped beef.

"What about it?" Tseng asked adding a bit more oil to the wok and letting the beef hit the screaming hot metal.

"There is no way in hell Mae could wear that. Even I know she isn't a size four." He observed. Tseng felt the color fall from his face. He was caught….and by his own father. This was too soon. This wasn't supposed to happen until Friday. No one was supposed to know about this until Friday.

"Son, I'm not stupid…I'm your father. Come on, do you honestly believe I think Mae would wear that? Do you really think I can't walk by your closet and smell what is clearly another woman's scent? May doesn't even wear any perfume. Just say it…tell me that you're having an affair. Not only am I your father, but believe it or not, I'm also a man. Tell me! Son….you can't hide this from me or Leviathan. The signs are there. I'll never hold it against you, I swear it." His eyes were fixed on Tseng. That made Tseng a nervous wreck because looking at his father was like looking at himself in twenty years. There was silence…a long and painful silence. The beef was going to burn if he didn't get it moving. His heart raced. Tell his father the truth or make up something extravagant to cover this. He slowly began moving the beef around in a clockwise motion. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

"I'm having an affair, dad…" his voice cracked. That was the first time he had heard it out loud. "I'm having an affair with Rufus Shinra's wife…otherwise known…as my working partner Elena Shinra." He breathed again and paused for a moment.

"How long." Ling asked.

"It's been going on for eighteen months. In fact dad….I slept with her….only four months after she was married. And since I'm being so honest with you….Mae's not pregnant, nor will she ever be pregnant by me. I don't love Mae. I never have loved her. I barely even liked her. I didn't even want to get married….I did it for you and mom because I thought it would make you happy." He stopped again. His voice was shaking because he had never been this honest with his father about anything. He was prepared for the worst.

"I'm filing for divorce and so is Elena. We are both going to lose our jobs when this gets out and we're going to move up north near Kalm. We've already purchased a house together there. No one knows us there. It will be like starting from a clean slate." Tseng looked up at his father. "Elena's engagement ring is being made right now. I bought her a beautiful Wutaiin emerald. It's unbelievable compared to Mae's. I'm so sorry dad…I'm so sorry that I…have been nothing but a disappointment to you." Tseng stirred the beef around faster than ever picking up the glass jar of hoison sauce with his free hand.

The fifty-eight year old walked over to the other side of the counter where Tseng was cooking.

"You have done nothing….but make me so fuckin' proud to call you my son. I get flooded with pride every time I tell people what you do, what you made of yourself. You can always come back to Wutai and start over. Or, go to Kalm if that's what makes you happy." It was all he said before looking up at his son. It wasn't the answer Tseng expected at all. Wutaiian fathers were notorious for being judgmental and cold. Tseng's look in his eye at his father said it all. Ling Yang actually understood…he wasn't mad…he wasn't disgraced….he understood.

"Dad, you should know…I'm not one of those guys that's…once a cheater always a cheater. I love this woman and the affair has not been a sexual thrill for us. We don't get a rush from sneaking around. We can't even go on a date because I can't hold her hand in a public place. My god, she's….Elena Shinra! If someone saw us….the only nice, romantic date we've ever been on has just involved the two of us curled up on her couch watching TV. Which, is so, so, so, nice and I never want to leave her. And she's so comfortable when she's like that but…I want to take her _out_…I want us to be _seen_ together and other people say my god how did a man like that that get a such a beautiful woman to love him? That's what it was like in Kalm. When we were in Kalm and we bought our house…_our_…_house._ That…that realtor…she looked at us and that's what was going through her mind. How did _that_ guy end up with a princess."

"Tell me about her." Ling asked.

"She's smart, she's strong. She's…a talker." Tseng laughed. "…god is she a talker. She has interests and hobbies. She's brilliant at her job. Her body is…unbelievable and she takes very good care of herself. And…god her libido is…" Tseng shook his head."…that's not the point."

"I'd like to meet her. Can I meet her sometime?" his father was sincere. Tseng thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah…yeah you can meet her sometime."

"Son, you know…there's something you have to do…right?"

"Yeah…yeah I know." Tseng said as the rice cooker dinged. He opened the lid and let the steam escape.

"Leviathan will forgive you. Your mother…" Ling laughed. "So, when do you want to come to Wutai?"

"Well, what if I flew home with you. Go home a day early. I'll…get it done. I'll be back here by Friday. I have to tell Mae Friday. Elena and I had a promise." Ling shook his head.

"Very well. We'll fly out tomorrow." Ling said. Tseng was still trying to figure out why the hell his father was on his side with this major news.

"Do you want to hear her voice?" Tseng said turning the rice cooker on warm after scraping the crispy film off the top of it. He spooned some Hoison onto a plate and drug the thin wafer through it.

"I'd love to."

"Now, she may not be able to talk. Just be really quiet." Tseng said reaching for his phone. He dialed her number and walked around the edge of the counter near his father, putting Elena on speaker phone. "Hey…can you talk?"

"Yeah, I can talk. What's up?"

"I need to go to Wutai tomorrow with my dad. There's uh…there's something I need to take care of there."

"Okay. How's the visit going?" she asked.

"Elena, he knows. He knows about us." Tseng was silent. Elena was silent.

"Oh my god…" she finally said.

"It's okay…it's okay. He's not gonna' say a word to anyone. He…he found out because he…it's kind of a long story and it involves something I have in my closet for you. He's…on our side…Elena." Tseng explained.

"Oh thank god. Tell him that I said thank you. Does he know who my husband is?"

"Yeah, yeah…he knows." Tseng said. "That's all I wanted you to know. I love you and I'll see you soon."


	8. My Father's Eyes

The 747 screamed as it landed. "Passengers we are now landing in Wutai. Current time is 2:13 PM temperature 28 degrees. Please remain seated until the fasten seatbelts light is off. Thank you for flying Midgar Regional Air. Tseng put his laptop away and looked over at this father. "That didn't go well."

"I know, I know…but…I had to tell her. It wouldn't make sense otherwise for you coming home so suddenly." His father reminded him. Tseng agreed.

* * *

><p>She could be the most frightening woman on earth and Tseng's heart raced as he approached the place he called home over fifteen years ago with his father at his side. There she was, standing in the doorway beside the glass storm door. Her arms were crossed as she watched her husband and her son come up the front porch steps. The mark of Leviathan she bore was about to jump right off her forehead and consume Tseng in flames. She had mounds of black hair with hints of silver piled on top her head. Tseng hadn't looked up at her yet, and she hadn't offered to open the door despite the cold temperature and the look on her husband's face. After a few tense moments, she finally pulled the door open.<p>

"Hi Mo…" Tseng couldn't even finish before her was greeted with her fierce yet small palm across his face.

"OH! Shiiiiit….god…..that stings….." Tseng held the side of his throbbing face. His father didn't say anything but instead pushed himself past his son and his wife.

" It's true what they say…sons are born in their father's eyes. I pray… I pray…that Leviathan has mercy on you. I trust you've been to alter to confess your sins before showing up here?" Tseng shook his head as he felt his heart nearly pound out of his chest. His face stung even more.

"No….mom….I haven't…I haven't been to…" That answer infuriated her even more. She didn't let him finish.

"Look at you! You're thirty-five…childless…and fucking a whore from the city! My son….my son has ruined….the Yang name! And _her_! I never thought a Wutaiian woman living in the city would have the nerve to destroy a marriage of her own kind!" She pointed an angry finger at Tseng. He had a strange look on his face. It was only now he realized….his father hadn't told her…Elena….the 'other woman'…was not…from Wutai…oh….shit….

"Mom…mom she's…she's not Wutaiian." Tseng said it as softly and quickly as he possibly could. He had to tell her now, hell, she was going to find out eventually. Might as well rip the Band-Aid off. She slapped the shit out of him again. This time it stung even more.

"I've never….EVER….thought less of you than I do at this moment. I knew it! I always knew it. Nothing good can come from the city! Nothing but a swirling pig sty of temptation it is! Not only have you ruined a sweet, sweet girl….you've tainted your blood line with….with…some WORTHLESS CITY TRASH!" Fortunately, his father returned with a small suitcase-like. He sat them down on the kitchen table.

"Did you know about _all_ this! Or just what you told me! Did you know your son has destroyed…" Ling cut her off. Mailan always immediately shut up when she saw Ling Yang's hand go up steadfastly in front of him. It was a signal that she had gone too far and she knew it. Sure, Tseng had grown up in a war-torn Wutaiian city but Wutai was one of the holiest and most mystical countries in the world and different in many ways from the super industrialized Midgar. The old Wutaiians had entirely different values…and the old, _old_ Wutaiins had even more sacred values. Ling's motion also served as a reminder: a reminder that this was _her_ son too. And they had been right. Tseng looked at his father. He knew what the look in his father's eyes meant. It had to be done…it was time to stand up to his own mother…

"I never wanted to get married in the first place, do you realize that? You chose Mae for me and then forced me down the aisle with her because you thought I _needed_to be married. You were nervous that I _wasn__'__t_ married and instead of letting fate run it's course you had to go screw it all up. If you wish to point a finger mother….turn it on yourself and I'll pray to Leviathan that he have mercy on you." It was the most brazen thing he had ever said to her. His finger trembled as he held his hand out. She said nothing…just watched him. Ling put his hands on his wife's shoulders and stepped around her.

"Put your bag down son. Mailan, take them in the back room for him, will you?" he turned and looked at his wife. She still didn't say anything just stared back at her husband. She knew by the sight of the suitcase on the table what was going on. She stepped in front of Ling and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Yôufú de shé." She said with closed eyes – Blessed is the serpent.

"Shèngjié de shé." Ling responded softly – Holy is the serpent.

"Chúnchì shì zài shé." They said in unison just as softly – Pure is the serpent.

"Come on." He said to Tseng returning to the kitchen table quickly. Tseng could feel sweat on his neck. It was time.

"Be back by 7:00 for dinner. Don't be late." His mother said. Somehow, Tseng's father had a way of instantly diffusing her.

* * *

><p>Once away from the house they walked through the cold city. Wutai winters were notoriously brutal…today was considered a 'nice' day.<p>

"You knew this wouldn't be easy." His father said. Tseng shook his head.

"Why are you coming with me? I could have done this alone tomorrow."

"There's something I've never told you. You're not alone, son. Do you really believe I've never taken the 10,000 steps to Alter? Every man has a sin to confess to Leviathan at one point in his life. You had just left for the academy and I…I was feeling so worthless and lost without you. Your mother was so depressed with you gone. Even with your phone calls and your letters and pictures…we missed you desperately. I needed something to bring me out of the dark state I was in….that something….was my accountant." Tseng stopped walking and looked over at his father. Ling shook his head. "Three months. Three months of lying to your mother about why I was staying so late at the office. The biggest difference, son…my affair was entirely sexual and yours…yours is entirely emotional." Tseng's gazed burned into his father's. It all made sense now. It was why his father didn't flip the hell out on him, it was why his father wanted to meet Elena. It's why his father was on his side. He needed them…he needed his father's eyes right now more than anything. That's what his mother had meant….that every son was born in his father's eyes. Maybe this time it was a little too true for comfort.

"What made you stop?" Tseng asked him, resuming their pace toward the Alter.

"It got to me. Sure, she was very young and….god….beautiful. But, the only thing in this world I love more than your mother…is you. I was terrified she'd leave me and I didn't want that. I just handled not having you around all wrong." He confessed.

"What did you do to get mom to stay?"

"I told her how much I truly loved her. And she knew it was true. We've never spoken of it since." Ling admitted as they continued their walk. Once they were on the outskirts of the city, the Alter would be in view. It seemed even colder now. Of all days to take the 10,000 steps.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later they had arrived at the base of the Alter of Leviathan. Anyone who committed a sin against Leviathan had to walk the 10,000 steps up the mountain to the throne room of Leviathan, to be purged in the mountain's holy water by one of the monks. But that wasn't the worst of it. The water was miserably cold and Tseng would bear the mark of the adulterer for the next week….and Mae would know the minute he walked through his door. If he returned to Elena between the time of the purge and before the divorce was official….he'd have to do this again. It was tradition, it was expected, and it was the part of him that still clung to the way he was raised.<p>

There was a small structure at the base of the steps to change into the ceremonial silk robe and to be marked. Tseng's father lead him inside. At least it was warm in here. "Alright. Here. Remember, you have to be naked underneath this robe. It's going to be a cold walk. Get changed, I'll prepare the paste." He instructed Tseng. His breath trembled as he looked at the heavy black satin robe with its red edging. Leviathan was stitched in gold on the red. It was a beautiful robe. He left his clothes in a pile, slinging it around his shoulders. The deep V it made would leave his exposed skin freezing as he made the ascent. "It's the same robe I wore." Ling remarked mixing a heavy red mixture and a heavy black mixture.

"Bet you never thought you'd see the day where your son had to wear it." Tseng felt incredibly nervous as he let his hair down. He also felt like an utter disappointment to his father.

"That's not important, Tseng. Okay, here. Turn around and have a seat here." His father tapped a brush into the heavy black mixture first. One vertical line, covering the mark of Leviathan in the middle of his forehead to symbolize betrayal. Next, the thick red paste a horizontal line all the way across his forehead…the mark of adultery in the old Wutai culture. When the monk submerged Tseng into the icy cold water on the top of the mountain, the black would disappear, to symbolize forgiveness, but the red would fade and remain for a week…to force him to repent to the one he betrayed….Mae.

He looked into his father's eyes. "Go. It's time. The monk's waiting." Ling said.

"Am I…allowed to call Elena after this?" Tseng asked rather meekly.

"Of course you can, son. You just…you can't fuck her. Now, go." He opened the door. Tseng looked above him….an endless staircase of weathered stone. Ling watched him slowly climb up about seven steps. Tseng spun around.

"Dad…please…don't…don't leave me here…I need you when I come back down." Tseng had never sounded so small, so powerless…so far from the Shinra powerhouse that he was.

"I won't leave you, Tseng." His father assured him.

Thank god Tseng was in the absolute top physical shape possible otherwise the climb therein itself would practically kill anyone. There it was the beautiful emerald and gold Alter of Leviathan. It's ornamental roof covering an ice cold pool of mountain water….the throne of Leviathan over the pool with a brilliant gold inlaid Leviathan image. The mountain air blew through the bamboo reeds causing them to whistle faintly. The monk sat there between two pillars of fire in prayer. This _had_ to be the holiest place on earth. So isolated, so beautiful, and so pure. The monk stood.

"Come." He insisted reaching out a hand toward Tseng. He swallowed hard and shook all over from both cold and fear. The monk pointed to a red pillow on the floor before the pool. Tseng knew it meant to kneel on it. "You come to confess. You bear the mark of the adulterer. Is this so?"

"It is so." Tseng said letting his elbows rest on the wood before him. It startled him when the monk threw a powder on the cold pool, causing a red haze to rise from it. Tseng watched nervously as the monk stood before him. His entire body shook from chill.

"Rise." The monk extended a hand to him. Without saying a word, he untied Tseng's robe, letting the brilliant satin fall to the ornate floor. Now, here he stood completely naked before a monk and entirely defenseless. The monk entered the water first, as if the icy cold of it didn't even phase him. Tseng clenched his teeth as a thousand strings of profanity raced through his mind. He would have rather been shot thirty times as be in this icy pit of hell. The monk turned him around so that Tseng's back was on his arm. He had never breathed harder in all his life. He wanted nothing more than to get this the hell over with.

"Yôufú de shé." The monk chanted, shoving Tseng underneath the water, cause him to gasp suddenly– Blessed is the serpent. Long black hair cascaded in all directions. He held him under the water, the monk's fingertips on Tseng's forehead. Tseng gasped again, trying to regain his breath. His heart raced, trying to fend off hypothermia.

"Shèngjié de shé." The monk said before shoving Tseng under the water again– Holy is the serpent. This time he was held under longer, and he was clinging to what felt like his last breath.

"Chúnchì shì zài shé." The monk chanted once more before shoving Tseng under one last time– Pure is the serpent. The black had disappeared from his forehead, leaving a trail of red. The monk took Tseng's shaking hands and lead him out of the holy pool. Cold water dripped from his body and from long wet hair as he shook all over. He was in near tears as the monk picked up his robe and slung it around him once more. "Your sin is forgiven in Leviathan's image. Repent to the one you betrayed." On his way back down the mountain side, Tseng cried. He cried harder than he ever had before and he no fuckin' clue why.

* * *

><p>"Elena, I'm having brunch on Wednesday with Eleanor Shinra, care to join me? Oh, we're going to be eating at such an exquisite place it's just…" Elena stopped her mother. Her mother was at one end of the table, her father at the other and her miserable sister beside her with her one year son. Elena wished her sister weren't here but she didn't care. She was going on with this.<p>

"I need to tell you something…" Elena said calmly. Both her mother and father didn't seem to listen to her. "Are you even listening to me?" Elena repeated as she watched them continue with their lunch.

"Yes, Elena. God, we're listening! Tell us whatever crap you…" Elena stopped her sister mid-sentence.

"Rufus and I are getting a divorce." She said nonchalantly. Her mother practically spit her iced tea across the room and her father had stopped eating. Her sister let out a most inappropriate laugh.

"You're….you're what?" her mother questioned.

"You heard me." Elena said opening another packet of artificial sweetener for her tea.

"What do you mean you're getting a divorce?" her father asked. Elena seemed a bit disgusted.

"Why! Why on earth would…" she stopped her mother.

"Because I'm cheating on him and I'm miserable." Elena said just as bluntly. He sister wailed in delight.

"Oh my god! Oooooh my god! You have got to be kidding me! My baby sister! Fucking up the greatest thing she's ever had in her life. Oooh god you are such a screw up, Elena! All you've ever done in your life is…" Elena's father stopped her.

"Erin shut you mouth."

"You slut." Erin said still laughing at Elena. Elena reached over and slapped the hell out of her sister.

"ELENA!" her mother yelled at her standing up.

"You're such a bitch….just a fuckin'….bitch. And you're baby's a bastard." Elena hissed at her.

"Yeah, well at least I didn't fuck up my marriage." Her sister said. Elena went to hit her again but her mother stopped her.

"Stop it just stop it, Elena! Oh, this is all your fault! Why! Why divorce! There's…there's counseling there's...oh there's got to me something Elena! What about me! Huh? What…about…ME!" her mother was so melodramatic. "Oh I'm ruined. I'm just ruined Elena. I….WHY Elena! Why! You're cheating? On Rufus! Elena, he's the greatest thing that's ever happened to you!"

"Who is it?" her father asked seriously. Disregarding the drama created by Elena's sister and mother.

"Yeah, Elena. I'm dying to know who the sorry ass bastard is." Erin said tending to her crying son. Elena didn't say anything. It took everything in her not to knock her sister's fuckin' teeth out. Her mother had started crying.

"Mom please." Elena said exasperatedly.

"I'm ruined. I'm just…ruined! And it's all your fault! Oh Elena, why can't you just be like Erin." Her mother cried. Elena slammed her glass down.

"You want me to be a fuckin' whore who sleeps with everything on the SOLDIER floor, gets pregnant and doesn't know who the FUCK the father of her baby is! That's what Erin is…a fuckin' slut. At least I know who I'm sleepin' with."

"You shut your mouth you BITCH!" her sister stood up despite her fussy baby.

"Elena!" her father said, still not having his original question answered regarding who Elena was having an affair with.

"No! No! If you're going to sit here and criticize me because I'm divorcing my piece of shit husband for my boss, than she has to 'fess up! This bitch needs to tell you both how she had to be treated for three fuckin' STDs 'cause she was such a damn slut. Then she ended up knocked up. That baby's a bastard….at least I'm just a cheater. This will all hit the press in another week. I'm moving to Kalm and it WILL be sooner than later. Glad to know I fucked up your perfect social life, mother." Elena threw her cloth napkin into the table and left the room.

"You know she's lying right? You know all she does is lie because she's so jealous of me!" Erin defended herself nervously. Her mother didn't even seem to hear.

"Oh my god…my reputation! What will Eleanor Shinra think of all this!" Her father looked to his wife and then to Erin.

"I've been hiding the fact that you were treated in the Shinra hospital on three separate occasions from your mother. Elena has access to your records and as Academy director so do I. You don't have a damn clue who that baby's father is and I WANT Elena out of this marriage. She's not been herself since the day she laid down with him." He left the table to find Elena.

* * *

><p>"Hey."<p>

"Have you been crying?" Tseng asked her.

"Maybe a little." She answered as she stared out over the lake. She didn't care about how blustery cold it was. "Are you okay?" she sounded pitiful.

"Yeah, I…I just…I'm freezing and…I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed…and…I need you." Tseng shook miserably as he tried to warm up in the same area that he had been painted by his own father before making the ascent.

"I need you too. I told my parents. My mom…she's…worried about her friends and her parties. My dad hasn't said much. I don't give a shit about my sister." Elena sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I can't touch you when I get back to Midgar. I…I mean, I can't lay a hand on you. I'm forgiven….for now." He told her. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done, Elena."

"It won't be much longer Tseng and the worst part will be over." She reminded him.

"I know…listen. I need to go for now. I'm freezing and half naked. I just needed to say that I love you and I'm dreading tomorrow as much as I'm anticipating it." Tseng admitted to her.

"I love you too. Bye." Elena hung up her phone and buried her face in her sleeve. Her father had finally found her.

"You should come back inside. It's too cold out here." Her father sat down beside her. Elena didn't answer him.

"What's the real reason you're crying?" her father asked, staring across the water.

"Mom's such a selfish bitch." She answered him.

"You're mother never had the right motives for you marrying Rufus." Her father put his arms around her. It only made her cry harder. "I could have called this one Elena. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the chemistry you and your boss had from day one." She again, didn't answer. Elena calmed herself.

"Has he beat you? Rufus…has he put a hand on you?"

"No, dad. He's not a beater. He just…he has no soul." Elena sniffed. "He also has like, a dick as big as my knuckle." She couldn't help but smile as she pulled her wedding band on and off.

"Elena…you're terrible." Her father laughed. "When was the first time it happened…with you and Tseng?"

"Late one night…it's a long story…but…he threw me on his desk and…" Elena sighed. "…god, he…fucked me crazy."

"You should know, that as your father, Elena. That's not what you hope to hear from your daughter." She looked over at him and couldn't help but smile. He laughed at her.

"It's going to be okay, Elena." He assured her.


	9. It Hits the Fan

"It's beautiful, just beautiful. I can't believe a yacht like this is for sale. It's exquisite. Here. Take a look. Look at that, solid marble floors. Can you believe it? I can't believe it." Rufus shoved some printed photos of a yacht he was drooling over toward Elena. He had droned on and on about it in between his wine and salmon. Elena had barely touched her sauvignon or her salmon as she watched Rufus blankly. She didn't even reach for the pictures as Rufus spread them out in front of her. She tapped her fingers on the table in front of her plate and rested her chin on her other hand. "There's a washer and dryer, and…and look. An outdoor fire pit on the top deck! Solid wood floors on the top deck bar area. It's just a marvelous find. We could dock it in Costa del Sol. We can have this bedroom redone. It looks dated compared to the rest of the yacht. We can buy a smaller run-about to get around when we want to dock somewhere in the harbor. Just look at these cabinets! Solid cherry, Elena and stainless steel in the sink. Now, the owner is asking 7 million but it's been on the market for nearly a year with no offers. The way I see it we could offer 5.5 and agree to take over his slip rental. I think it's a fair offer. He has a spectacular spot on the dock because of his seniority. Now, what I was thinking is that since the company just broke it's billion gil mark we could buy the yacht at the end of the week, close on it and host our party in the blue seas of Costa del Sol. We'll need to get to work on the guest list." Elena watched Rufus. She hadn't said a word. She just stared blankly. "Can you imagine this, Elena? Now, you'll probably want to get a spray tan. There's nothing worse than being pale in a bikini on a yacht like this am I right or am I right? Mmm! We'll also need to…."

"I'm having an affair." Elena said emotionless, interrupting Rufus's endless and incessant talking. Rufus looked at her with the strangest expression she had ever seen cross his face.

"What?" he asked it as if he genuinely hadn't heard her.

"I am having an affair, Rufus. I've been having an affair for nearly nineteen months. I don't want a yacht or a spray tan, or a party to celebrate the fact that you're a fucking billionaire…I want a divorce." Now Rufus was the one who was speechless. He looked around quickly, still with the look of shock and awe on his face. Elena didn't elaborate any further.

"You…you're…you've been having…an affair? An _affair_?" Rufus could feel himself choking on his dry mouth as he put his hand on his forehead.

"That's right." Elena cut into her salmon as if this were typical dinner conversation.

"You've…been having an affair…and you…want…a divorce?" Rufus repeated slowly as a statement, not a question.

"Mmm hmmm…good salmon by the way." Elena said it as if nothing at all had happened, and perhaps to spite him a bit. His fist hit the table.

"Who the fuck is it….huh? Who is it Elena?" Rufus went from shocked to downright pissed as hell.

"Does it really matter, Rufus? Look, all I want is what we agreed to in the pre…"

"TELL ME WHO THE FUCK YOU'VE BEEN FUCKING, ELENA!" Rufus let a hand fly across Elena's face, sending a silver fork and a 135 gil wine glass across the room. Blood instantly appeared in her nose and in the corner of her mouth. She stared at him.

"You're pride and joy, your finest, you're right hand man…Rufus. The most powerful thing in the Shinra company…next to you of course." Elena said. Rufus sunk in his chair. The color in his face was in a puddle on the floor.

"When…were you…last…with him." His voice was low and he appeared to be stewing to himself.

"Well, I fucked him Saturday night after the benefit…in your suite…in your bed. His sweaty body all over mine and…" Rufus cut her off.

"SHUT YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTH!" Rufus took another swing at her but Elena was ready for this one. She gripped his hand in hers, squeezing it, the muscles in her arm flexed and blood running down her chin.

"That's right…I'm fuckin' the man your precious company trained. Rufus, I swear to god….I will ruin you. No one...not the media, not the public, not the biggest exec out there has even an ounce of respect for a wife beater. You lay a hand on me and I swear…I will go to the tabloids and I will fuckin'…ruin you…" Elena glared at him as the blood on her face began to create a trail on her neck. "I want what was promised to me. I want it by next Friday. I want the papers signed and I want a lump sum…none of this monthly payment bullshit. Find some little whore to fuck you on your precious yacht to celebrate the fact that you own the fuckin' world. I'm sure that won't be hard. There are a thousand women out there just waiting to be Rufus Maxwell Shinra's next good time." Rufus hadn't said anything as Elena's eyes burned a hole through him. He could tell…she was serious. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to pack some things. I want my car too." Elena let go of his hand and took her brilliant diamond off, laying it before him. Rufus watched her walk away. "This damn thing slides around when I try to hold a gun."

"You get back here! Get the fuck back here right now, Elena! You can't talk to me like that! You mean to tell me you're been fucking Tseng and I…" Rufus was seething. "…has he been in this bed?" Elena didn't answer and instead opened up her suitcase and began throwing the contents of a drawer inside, squishing everything down a she packed in a frenzy. "ANSWER THE FUCKIN' QUESTION, ELENA!" Rufus demanded. She threw a final item in the suitcase and quickly snapped it shut. She sighed and crossed her arms.

"Yes. Yes, he's been in this bed. On me, under me, behind me, you name it, Rufus. Use your imagination…it's happened." She said matter of factly. Rufus took another swing at her, bloodying the other side of her nose and nailing the bone underneath her eye pretty hard. Elena glared at him before hurrying over to the drawer of her night stand. "See, this is the problem with our marriage Rufus…." She said pulling a loaded gun out of the drawer and pointing it at him. "…you've never, ever taken it seriously." Elena said. "I told you….hit me again and I'd go to the press. You didn't believe me…but maybe lady luck can convince you otherwise." Elena's face was stone cold and bloody.

"Elena, put the fuckin' gun down." Rufus's voice was shaky as he put his hands out to his sides. He took a step toward her and heard her cock it.

"I swear to god, Rufus. You take one more step…I'm pullin' the trigger. Then, maybe a little lead will finally keep you from belittling me any more. Now, if you'll kindly return to your dinner…I need to pack and get the fuck outta' here for tonight." Elena warned. Rufus shook his head.

"Disarm that thing, Elena." Rufus told her, turning his back on her. She knew he got the message and she slipped her finger between the lever and the barrel to disarm it. She popped the clip off as an audible click indicated that there was no longer a bullet in the chamber. There was silence now. Rufus leaned against the door frame, his back still to Elena.

"You know I could clean him tonight, right? One phone call, Elena. One phone call…and there'd be one less Wutaiian in this world." Rufus said a bit darkly.

"I know you _could_….but you won't." Elena said resuming her packing. "You won't because first, you have nothing to gain from it. It's not going to get your wife back and you won't benefit in any way. Next, he's married…married to an innocent and harmless woman and not even you would put her through witnessing a bullet through her husband's head. And lastly, and the most important reason why you won't do it…he's too valuable to you. In fact, Rufus…the one thing you and I have in common is that Tseng is priceless to both of us. To you, he's the company's best. To me…well he _is_ the best." More silence….Rufus finally stood up from the door frame and took a step forward.

"You're right…and he is the best…I never suspected a thing…and it takes stealth to pull a fast one on me. One thing's certain, Elena. You may not go to the press…but I will. I…will ruin…him. He can kiss his last paycheck and his reputation goodbye. It'll be a clean divorce, I swear it. But, I encourage you to read the paper tomorrow morning." Rufus warned. Elena swallowed hard. She had partially expected this…she knew how to play the media…but Tseng didn't. She had to warn him. "Oh, and Elena? Where's the cat?" Rufus asked calmly.

"Not here." She answered.

"I want the cat."

"You're not getting her."

"Did you not here me…you little….slut? I said…I want…the cat." Rufus had turned around and was walking toward her. Elena threw whatever was in her hand onto the bed and made eye contact with him.

"No. There. I said no. What does that feel like for you…to be denied something? Huh?" Elena asked.

"Fuck you, Elena. FUCK….YOU! You are nothing….but a homely, slut that only someone as desperate as Tseng would ever want! I married you because you had potential to be fuckin' perfect. Next time you look in the mirror…I hope you see a used up bitch. That's all you are." Rufus shoved a finger into her face.

"You honestly think that's going to phase me! Good god, Rufus! You've busted my lip, half-broken my nose, and bruised my fuckin' eye! I'll take homely whore any day." She said. Rufus was fuming.

"What the hell do you expect to do without my money, Elena?" he asked. Elena looked up at him.

"Fuck your money. I never needed it. Never wanted it. You've always loved your money before me, Rufus." Elena reminded him.

"And with good reason I now see."

"You're money is poison in my veins, Rufus."

* * *

><p>Tseng walked through the door. He thought he'd feel a thousand flavors of nervous for this moment but he was surprisingly calm. Perhaps because it had all come to a head, he couldn't run anymore as he looked up at her.<p>

"Hey you're…" Mae didn't finish her sentence as she wiped her hands off on a damp towel. "Tseng…" she whispered seeing the diluted red streak on his forehead.

"We need to talk…" he said dropping his luggage at the door. His voice sounded utterly defeated.

"You…the mark….is it…." Mae once again didn't finish her sentence but she had dropped her towel to the floor.

"Yes. Yes, Mae, it's true. I went to Wutai to be forgiven. I've been lying to you. I've been lying to you since the day we married. I want…a divorce." He shook his head. He had never said it out loud before…not like this anyway. "I want a divorce, Mae. I've been having an affair with another woman for nearly two years. The papers are waiting at the courthouse and I'm willing to sign whenever you're ready. I'll be more than fair, Mae. You can have whatever you want. You can have the house, you can have your ring, you can have the car and I'm prepared to give 100,000 gil to you. I'll help you get back to your family's farm if that's what you want. Mae…I'll do anything to help you…but our marriage is over. I've been forgiven by Leviathan and now I need to be redeemed by you." She didn't say a word. It was hard to read her expression. Was it sadness? Was it hurt? Was it anger? Was it confusion? Perhaps it was everything. After all, this was Mae. She, like the billionaire mogul, had never suspected a thing.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" she finally said softly.

"Mae…I never did. And I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry I ruined your life. Took you out of Wutai and never gave you anything you truly wanted. I never gave you a happy home to live in and I never gave you the child you want. I've failed you miserably." He said. He was genuinely remorseful.

"Who is she?" Mae asked, her voice still quiet and a little shaky.

"Elena Shinra." Mae's eyes widened.

"R…Rrr….Rufus Shinra's wife! Your boss's….wife! The woman you work with!" Mae's voice was laced with frantic excitement.

"Yes." Tseng answered her.

"Oh my god…Ooooh my god! You're…you're sleeping with Rufus Shinra's WIFE! Oh my god! Oh my…" Mae was hysterical. "You….how am I ever supposed to return to Wutai DIVORCED! Huh! Who would ever want a divorced woman who's been….who's…A DIVORCED WOMAN IS A USED WOMAN AND YOU KNOW THAT!" It was as angry as she had ever been in her life.

"I know that Mae. I know that. But, listen to me…if you go back with money…it's a way to fix it, or at least mend it. It's like I said I'll give you 100,000 and anything you want. That kind of money in North Wutai is unheard of and _you _know that. Mae, this money can help the family I tore you away from for my selfish life here in Midgar. Any man would be a fool to not marry you. The amount of money supersedes a divorce in Wutai." Tseng reminded her. The money may be Mae's saving grace…but it sure as hell didn't mend her shattered heart nor dry her tears.

"Why did you do this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this?" she asked as she wiped her eyes. Tseng put his hands over his mouth.

"You did nothing. You did nothing to deserve what I've put you through, Mae. This is entirely my fault. Listen, I'm not going to stay here tonight and force you to even look at me. Just…just do some thinking Mae. Make a list of what you want. I'm going to a hotel. I'll come back in the morning and…we'll…we'll figure out the rest." Tseng promised her. Mae stared at the table.

"If you fuck her tonight you have to do it all over again….going to alter. You know that right?" Mae didn't look up. She had never said fuck in her life.

"No, Mae. It's not like that. I'll be at the hotel alone. I swear it. Think, Mae. Think all night if you want. I'm willing to be more than fair with you. I'll do anything to return your life to as much normalcy as possible." It was all he said before heading to the bedroom to get his overnight bag.

* * *

><p>Rufus sat in a dark living room, nothing but the lamp illuminated. He continuously traced the rim of a red wine glass with his finger as the phone rang. Elena had been out of the penthouse for nearly an hour, so many of her things crammed into suitcases. "Hello? Ito?" Rufus took a drink of wine. "I have your front page story for tomorrow's paper."<p>

* * *

><p>It had been the loneliest of nights either of them had ever spent. Elena stared at herself in the mirror: a black eye and a swollen lip. "Pick up, pick up, pick up….pleeeeeease pick up." Elena pleaded.<p>

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Elena asked. Tseng rolled over in his hotel bed.

"No, no, no. Of course not. I was just laying here staring at the ceiling." Tseng answered her. It was as he promised, he was alone in his hotel room laying on top the covers, naked from the waist up.

"I need to tell you something. Things didn't go exactly well tonight. Rufus swears…he's going to ruin you tomorrow." Elena conveyed.

"I don't care, Elena. He can….he can do or say whatever it is he wants." Tseng seemed calm about it.

"Tseng, you need to listen to me. Whatever it is he…he plans to do…it's gonna be big. The media is going to swarm you like an angry mass of hornets. I mean…they will be after you for the story. What you need to do, is not comment, don't look at any reporter and don't make eye contact with a single camera. If you make yourself uninteresting, they'll leave you alone. Rufus contacted his lawyer tonight and we'll be meeting to sign the papers by Friday." Elena explained.

"Mae will sign by Wednesday I just know it. I told her to take tonight and think. I told her she can have what she wants." Tseng shoved his hand into his hair.

"I'm a little worried about something. I went over our pre-nuptual tonight with a fine tooth comb. Rufus is officially worth a billion. I said all I want is my car and what was promised in the pre-nup. But here's the thing...I'm not worth 6.1 anymore." Elena said pacing the floor. It was a tough decision. "The point…the point is I want out. I'm willing to take anything."

"Now that he's worth a billion…what _should _you get out of this?" Tseng questioned as he reached for Elena's emerald engagement ring from the night stand.

"At least ten…million. The 6.1 million came from the .5 percent of 12.7 million gil that the company earned in the two months prior to our marriage. The pre-nup states I'm entitled to .5 percent of the company's gross earnings from a two month period. That was nearly two years ago." Elena took a deep breath. "Tseng, I'm worth 25 million now. It's not _Rufus' _money I'm entitled to….it's company profits I'm entitled to." Tseng was completely silent as he took it all in. "Twenty-five million is piss to Rufus."

"Shit, that's a hell of a lot of money, Elena." He finally said.

"What should I do?" Elena begged him for advice.

"Honestly, take whatever you can to get out of the marriage the fastest. That's what you truly want. Of course, on the same hand, you want to be smart about this." Tseng offered his advice. Elena sighed into the phone.

"Yeah. Well, I'll worry about it more in the morning. What are you wearing?" Elena laughed as she sunk down into the firm and slightly uncomfortable hotel bed.

"Black pants." He told her.

"Only that?" she pressed on.

"Well, black pants and a red mark that distinguishes the ruining of a Wutai woman's life."

"Was she devastated?" Elena asked.

"I don't know. I don't…know what was going through her mind. God, Elena…I…absolutely destroyed Mae's life tonight."

"She'll re-marry…have the child she wants. Maybe not anytime soon, but she will." Elena assured him.

"She will but it will be hard for her. She'll be a divorced woman with money in north Wutai. Wutai is….well, they frown on a woman who's been in a marriage and laid with another man if you know what I mean."

"God, Wutai would hate me then." Elena said reaching for her magazine. Tseng laughed.

"Yes…yes it would, Elena. I'm sorry to say but Wutai wouldn't exactly welcome you with open arms." She laughed.

"Alright. Goodnight. I love you and…we'll deal with tomorrow when it gets here." She assured him.

"I love you too. Night, Elena." Tseng hung up the phone and turned the lamp out beside his cold and unforgiving hotel bed.


End file.
